Returning Home
by Rarstarr
Summary: When two members of the Ramna cast go missing a large hunt is called, but they return on their own after three months. But many things have changed for them.
1. Chapter 1

Returning Home

Chapter 1

By David Farr

Ranma 1/2 is copyrighted by Rumiko Takahashi/Shogakukan,Inc and is used here respectfully for the purposes of fanfiction. This story may be redistributed only if unchanged and no fee is charged.

*****

The streets of Nerima enjoyed another in a long string of silent days. Not totally silent. People still strode purposefully on errands, cars still cruised by and bells of bikes still chimed happily. The peace of these streets was a peace that the town had almost managed to stop missing after a year of insane martial arts antics involving some of its youths. Insurance rates were back down, construction charges were once again reasonable and a few of the lingerie shops were still having sales after finding themselves overstocked.

It was as if the linchpin in the cycle of madness had gone missing, sending its components flying to the four corners of the world. Surprisingly, that wasn't far from the truth.

Only a few pedestrians, those that were in the know, worried when the air above the road shimmered and became glassy. It wasn't a heat effect. Instead it really did look as though a pane of water hovering about a meter off the ground. The phenomenon hung there for a few seconds, then twisted itself into a clear and silent whirlpool hanging space.

There was a strange sound, part pop and part hum, and a young man was thrown from the vortex. He flew through the air, landed on his feet, then propelling himself into a flip to counter for his momentum. Gracefully he landed in a crouch and, with his intense brown eyes, he scanned the area. Clothed in heavy dark cloth that hugged his form, the young man gave the appearance of a warrior or mercenary from a war movie. The small baby strapped in a knapsack on his back utterly ruined this image.

Moments passed before the vortex ejected another. This one was a girl, no more than five, maybe less, wearing clothes similar to the man's. If it was not for her dirty red hair, the girl could have passed for the man's daughter, if he'd had her when he was still a teenager. She landed with expert ease behind the man, stabilising herself with a spear at least twice her height. Her weapon gleamed in the sunlight as the vortex ejected one final person before snapping shut.

The woman fell into a roll as she struck the ground, coming up next to the man, facing in the other direction. She was as serious and dangerous looking as her two companions, although like the man, she carried no weapons. Her black hair was cropped short and just as grimy as her clothes.

All three stood and looked around, their soot smeared faces emotionless as their eyes probed the area. For moments none uttered a word.

"Looks safe," the man spoke a language that none of the locals could have understood, as it had never before been spoken on this world, let alone this small town. He turned to find the woman's gaze fixed on a sign. A sign sitting outside a nearby store had captured her attention. Obviously it had been closed for some time, but the sign still hung above it.

"Ucchan's," the girl read. "What's that papa?" She turned expectantly to the man, whose jaw was hanging open.

The woman turned to the man, an unspoken question in her hopeful eyes. A small metal block appeared in his hands, and for a moment he studied it carefully before he grinned. "We have a match."

"We're home," the woman whispered. She enthusiastically threw her arms around him in a bear hug. "I can't believe it, we're finally HOME!"

"Careful, the baby," the man croaked, the sound of his joints cracking almost drowning out his words.

*****

"..... School of Indiscriminate Grappling," the girl read, staring up at the sign above the gate. The two large doors looked much as the young man and woman remembered them, although the memories were hazy at best. The young girl had never stood before them.

"Why do you have to read every sign we see?" asked her father.

The girl gave him a cheeky smile and poked her tongue at him, then turned to gaze up at her mother. The baby was now cradled protectively in her arms, sleeping peacefully. "Are we gonna go in?"

Smiling the woman nodded. "Yes, someone might be home."

"Jeez, I hope your old man isn't mad at us." The man unconsciously shifted his stance so he could play with his pigtail and stand on one foot. "Don't really want to go through one of his fits."

"He wasn't that bad," the woman stared wistfully at the gate. "It'll be good to be home, no matter how much time has passed."

"Well, lets go in!" the girl exclaimed. Hopping from foot to foot excitedly.

"Impatient as always," the man chuckled, and stepped forward to push lightly at the gate. It swung open, revealing the house beyond.

A woman stood on the porch, dusting away with a broom, as the group stepped through the gate. She looked mature, wearing a housewife's outfit, but still her face showed that she was too young for the job. She looked up and smiled as they approached.

"Hello may I help you?" she inquired, her voice sweet and friendly.

"Sheese, she don't even recognise us," the man complained in fluent Japanese.

The woman glared at him, almost shooting daggers. "It has been a while you know, Ranma. You can't blame her for not recognising her own sister."

The broom fell from Kasumi's hands as her face lit up in surprise and delight. "RANMA, AKANE! YOU"RE BACK!"

The crashing of feet from inside drowned out the clattering of the broom hitting the ground. It was only moments before the door to the house was thrown open. A young woman with brown hair and a boyish face lead the charge, followed by a fat old man wearing glasses and a white gi, then finally a slightly younger man with a brown moustache.

The rush skidded to a halt as the trio took in the sight before them. Ranma and Akane were back, but very different. Both looked at their families with a quiet confidence, smiles on their lips, yet their eyes shone with restrained joy and love. Even yet both seemed a little taller, a little more mature.

Akane no longer looked the tomboy. Somewhere she had gained a grace and ease, both in her movements, and her manner, that was uncharacteristic in the youngest Tendo girl. Finally her stance belied her increased self-confidence, there was no tensing indicating the anger she normally carried around.

On the other hand Ranma's confidence seemed to have fallen. Or more that he was no longer overconfident. Before, even when apparently standing relaxed, his muscles were tensed, ready to react. Now, though, Ranma simply watched them with his piercing brown eyes, his guard totally down. And that was to say nothing about the baby strapped to his back.

Everyone started talking at once.

"QUIET!" Ranma yelled, silencing everyone. "Sheesh, what a welcome home."

"So where've you been Ranma?" Nabiki was the first to break the silence.

Ranma grinned. "Now that's a long story..."

"About five years long," Akane interrupted, "and we'd like a bath before we even try to start telling it."

"Oh yeah, a bath would be great," Ranma sighed, wistfully staring into the distance.

"Of course," Kasumi fussed. "You're all wearing enough dirt to cover the gardens. Off to the furo with you." She waved them into the house.

*****

Kasumi hummed happily as she walked along the corridor towards the bath. It was good that the two were back, even if there were many unanswered questions. There was no point in worrying about it all, she would do what she could and that was all that was needed.

She found a very unhappy looking child standing leaning against the doorframe to the outer bathroom. The little girl had cleaned up well and Kasumi could easily see both Ranma and Akane in her. Red hair like that could only have come from Ranma's female side, but those eyes were definitely her sister's. Only time would tell which parent the child's body would mimic. Her weapon, a long pole with a spear-head at the top was held closely within her crossed arms, one hand holding it tight.

"Hello," Kasumi greeted the child warmly, smiling one of her most comforting smiles. "We didn't get properly introduced earlier. I'm Kasumi, and you are?"

The girl shifted quickly and Kasumi suddenly found herself at the wrong end of the spear. "I'm Ukyo Saotome of the clan Saotome, and I'm not going to let you near my parents!"

Kasumi added the child's comments to her long list of things to be questioned later and held out the bundle she carried. "I was just bringing them some fresh clothes from upstairs. I thought it might be nice for them to have something clean to wear." She purposefully ignored the fact that young Ukyo was wearing a perfectly clean set of the clothes she'd been wearing before.

"Ummm," Chibi-Ukyo seemed caught off-guard. "I don't think they need them."

Kasumi increased the brightness of her smile. "Why don't you ask them?"

Chibi-Ukyo nodded. "Okay," she threw open the door and stuck her head in. "Mom, dad, there's a woman here who says she has some clothes for you!"

"Is that you Kasumi?" Akane called from beyond the inside door.

"Yes it is! I thought you might like some a change of clothes."

"Thanks, just leave them out there!"

"Okay," Kasumi slipped past the spear-wielding child and placed the two bundles of folded clothes on the bench. "Shall I take Ukyo into the kitchen to get her something to eat?" Behind her Chibi-Ukyo perked up, she had her father's appetite.

"If you don't mind!"

Inside, Akane held her baby son and smiled across the furo at the man she loved. "Its nice having someone to care about us again, isn't it?"

Ranma nodded, and slid further into the warm waters. "I'd almost forgotten what civilisation felt like."

Akane's expression turned grim. "How do you think Ukyo's going to cope? She's hardly had a normal upbringing."

"Same as we've always coped, as a family." Ranma closed his eyes and sighed. "Its not as if either of us had a normal childhood."

"I know, but weren't fighting a war for the first four years of our life."

*****

Nabiki, Soun and Genma knelt around the table as Kasumi lead Chibi-Ukyo into the room. She'd failed to convince the child to leave behind the spear even though it meant the child had to carry her food bowl and cutlery in one hand. The three about the table fell silent as the pair entered.

Kasumi's smile didn't falter, but her eyes showed her disapproval of their sudden silence. "Ukyo, these are your Aunt Nabiki, and Grandfathers Genma and Soun."

Soun immediately burst into tears. "My daughter's had a child!"

"Be serious father," Nabiki drawled. "She can't possibly be Akane's daughter."

The tip of Chibi-Ukyo's spear materialised next to Nabiki's head. "TAKE THAT BACK!"

Gently Nabiki pushed the weapon away. "Point that somewhere else, kid," she said flatly. "Akane and Ranma haven't been away long enough to have a baby, let alone a child your age."

"What, you don't think five years is enough, sister dearest?" Ranma quipped from the doorway.

He and Akane stood there, smiling at the scene before them. Both had changed into the clothes Kasumi had supplied - a red chinese shirt and black trousers for Ranma, and cream jumper and red skirt combo for Akane - which, with the clean up, went some way to restoring the two to their teenage appearance. Still, there was something about them, in the eyes and the way they stood, that showed they were no longer the teenagers that had fought almost daily in the Tendo house.

Nabiki turned to regard Ranma. "It's only been three months Ranma."

Ranma shrugged. "For you maybe, five years for us." He walked over and dropped into a place at the table, Akane followed him carrying their son and Ukyo fell into place on his other side. She immediately started inhaling her food.

Kasumi shifted over slightly to peer at the baby held in Akane's arms, then looked questioningly up at her. Her sister replied with a smile and offered the child to the other, who accepted it gratefully and started gentlely started rocking him.

"What do you mean?" Nabiki inquired patronisingly. It was obvious she thought Ranma was an idiot, but then she had always thought that.

"Well where we've been time goes faster than it does here, it has to do with what the prof called trans-tempar... trans-temp..."

Akane looked up from watching Kasumi and the baby. "Trans-temporal disharmony," she supplied.

"And that means?" Genma asked, leaning forward.

"That time passes faster in some worlds than others." Akane smiled cheekily.

"Great circular argument Akane," Nabiki deadpanned.

"So where have you been?" Kasumi asked brightly, leaving off cooing to the child for a moment. She seemed to be enjoying playing with the baby. "Father, do stop crying and pay attention," she added to the side.

Soun sniffled a few times and stopped the waterworks. "Sorry, Kasumi."

"Where've we been?" Ranma leant back and stared up at the ceiling, scratching the back of his head. "There was that world with all the robots that hated us 'cause we walked on two legs."

"Or there was that beautiful, palatial world where everything sparkled like diamonds," Akane sighed.

Ranma's brow furrowed. "Wasn't that the one where all the people where inhabited by demons 'cause they were so decadent."

Akane nodded saddly. "That's right, such a pity, I really loved it there."

"The candy world! The candy world!" Ukyo cried, jumping up and down waving her empty bowl.

Ranma shot his daughter a dirty look. "Trust you to think of that. All I can remember of that trip is your stomach ache."

Akane smiled at the confused faces of her family. "We got kind of lost--"

"More so than Ryoga," Ranma interjected, grinning.

"And ended up on this other world that was earth, but at the same time wasn't." Akane continued, ignoring his side comment. "Anyway, we helped the people there with a problem they were having with a tyrant. The battle was long and well, we kind of got close."

Ranma nodded. "Yeah, having to rely so much on each other does that." He and Akane turned and shared a warm gaze.

"I think I'm going to be sick," Nabiki murmured.

Akane broke off and returned her attention to her family. "Anyway, after the battle a group of their scientists researched us and our world travelling. It took them over a year to come up with something, and even then they couldn't guarantee that we'd get home on the first try. "

"During which time we had this delightful urchin," Ranma mussed his daughter's hair. "We spent a lot of time discussing whether or not we wanted to take her with us or stay there and raise her before returning.

"Then the professor who'd made the breakthrough told us that time passed differently in the worlds, and he had no way of telling how long it had been. We decided we couldn't risk coming back and finding you all old, so we spent some time training with Ukyo strapped to our backs, then jumped."

Akane nodded. "But each jump seemed to take us further from home. We spent years travelling, hoping that we'd get home. And during that time we had another child."

Ranma took over the tale again. "Thankfully Ukyo was old enough to help me defend her mother, not that Akane was helpless, but the extra pair of hands was appreciated." Ukyo grinned happily at his compliment.

Sighing Akane looked down at the table. "Somehow we always ended up in worlds where there were problems and battles. Even if we found an Eden there was always a snake."

The table fell into an awkward silence.

"So what's this one's name?" Kasumi shifted the baby in her arms to gently stoke his head. He immediately grabbed hold of her finger causing Kasumi to wince slightly.

Akane's motherly pride took over. "This is Ryoga."

"Oh, how cute." Kasumi cooed.

Nabiki raised one eyebrow. "Yeah, sure he's your's Ranma?" She immediately found her pierced by twin glares from her sister and her lover.

"Did you come up with the name, Akane?" Kasumi was trying unsuccessfully to get her finger back from the baby.

"No, Ranma suggested it."

Everyone turned to stare at the boy.

Ranma shrugged in answer. "Hey, he was my best enemy and friend. I needed something to remind me of him."

"Same with Ukyo," Akane sighed. "Where are they anyway? We saw Ucchan's was closed when we arrived."

Nabiki shrugged. "They were all off searching for the two of you last we heard. We all made a pact: the moment we found anything about you, we'd tell the others. Which reminds me, I've got some phone calls to make."

"Aww, I don't know if I'm ready for all of that again," Ranma complained. "We just came through hell, I was hoping for some peace."

Nabiki stood, smiling one her patronising smiles. "Relax Ranma, most of them are using voice mail. They probably won't receive the message for days, and even then it'll be a while before they get back here."

"You said most of them," Akane pointed out. "Who isn't?"

Nabiki sighed theatrically. "The Kunos, they're paying for the voice mailboxes and decided to upgrade their services to a call through service. They always get any messages immediately. Besides which, we promised and I'm not going to break this one for anyone."

"I'm sure your getting some sadistic pleasure out of this," Ranma shot at her.

"Me?" Nabiki innocently asked, closing the door. Ukyo took this chance to leap to her feet and toddle off to the kitchen.

Ranma sighed. "I suppose it wouldn't be home without them all."

Akane smiled. "That's true. I think we'd better get settled in before they start arriving."

"Okay, I'll go set up our stuff." He turned to his father. "Pop, we're taking the guest room for us and the kids." He started towards the door.

"Where am I supposed to sleep?" the old man complained.

"Akane's old room," Ranma suggested, standing from the table.

"After I've cleared it out!" Akane snapped.

"But--" he was cut off by the sudden appearance behind him of Ukyo spear in one hand, glass of water in the other. Giggling the little girl poured the cold liquid over her grandfather.

"And you were worried about her," Ranma joked to Akane as he vanished through the doorway.

*****

"Moshi moshi," the voice answered at the other end of the line.

"Nabiki Tendo? It is I, Tatewaki Kuno!" The young man announced.

"Oh, Kuno-baby, I've been waiting for your call. I suppose you've got your message."

"Certainly. Is it true that my beloved Akane Tendo and the pig-tailed-goddess have returned?"

"Well, yes, but--"

"Then inform them that I will be there shortly to free them from the evil enchantments of that vile sorcerer Saotome!"

"Kuno! Listen!" Nabiki cried into the now dead line. She slammed the phone down, earning a disapproving look from Kasumi as she walked past. "Damn, better warn the lovebirds."

*****

Nabiki stopped at the doorway to the guestroom. Ranma hadn't been kidding when he said he'd set up their stuff. The place looked like a cross between a religious temple and a nursery from some science-fiction show. Wards, statues and symbols adorned the room, and sitting in one corner was the strangest cot she had ever seen.

The cot was lower than she expected. Usually they were tall enough not to force you to stoop too much to get the baby out, but the legs of this one barely lifted the base off the ground. Also the sides didn't offer much security, they barely came up to a person's knee. Despite all of this, though, little Ryoga was sleeping happily in it, floating in the absolutely middle of the small roofless cage.

"Ah, Ranma?" Nabiki looked around the room. Ranma was kneeling next the futons stuffing something into his empty looking pack that had earlier held the baby.

He looked up at her voice. "Yeah Nabiki?"

"Get superstitious all of a sudden?" she waved about the room.

"Seen to much not to believe," he commented. "Five years of running into trouble Nabiki, it's a lot."

Nabiki nodded, remembering the year Ranma had been around, and trying to imagine that run together constantly for almost five years. "Surely you weren't constantly in trouble."

"Aw, naw, we would sometimes settle down somewhere for a few weeks or a month. Especially when Akane was full term with Ryoga there," he nodded to the sleeping baby. "But it's still a lot." A smile crept onto his face. "Akane made it worthwhile though. Being with her is all I wanted, then the kids came and things just got better."

Nabiki looked at her brother-in-law-to-be in a new light. "You've really grown up Ranma."

"Thanks Nabs, it's good to hear you say that," he gave her a quirky smile. "But you didn't come up here to talk about me."

Nabiki blinked in surprise. "Huh? Oh, yeah right. Kuno just called, he said to tell 'his beloved Akane Tendo and the pig-tailed-goddess that he was coming to free them from the vile Saotome,' or words to that effect. You know how he is."

"You didn't tell him about the kids?" Ranma was frowning.

Nabiki shook her head sadly. "Sorry, he didn't give me a chance. Not that it'd stop him, he'd just be mad for longer."

"And cooler when he got here," Ranma surmised. "Well, thanks for the warning anyway."

"Anytime big brother." Nabiki smirked and left the room.

Ranma went back to work for a few seconds before her parting words sunk in. "BIG BROTHER?!"


	2. Chapter 2

Returning Home

Chapter 2

By David Farr

Ranma 1/2 is copyrighted by Rumiko Takahashi/Shogakukan,Inc and is used here respectfully for the purposes of fanfiction. This story may be redistributed only if unchanged and no fee is charged.

*****

Ranma stood, humming quietly, surrounded by a sea of silvery water. The morning sun felt good on his back as he balanced atop one of the stones of the Tendo koi pond. About his perch ripples splashed the walls of the garden with light as the koi busily fed on crumbs floating on the surface. The young martial artist's head was bent, staring down at the bundle happily sucking away at a bottle in his arms. A warm smile had long ago crept onto his face as he regarded his son.

The silver on the pond faded as a large shadow fell upon it. "That's not very manly son."

"That explains a lot about my upbringing then pop," Ranma shot back, not bothering to look up.

"You've also left yourself wide open to attack," Genma scolded.

"Wanna bet?" Even as Ranma spoke his father felt a pin prick on his back. With a sigh he fell to the ground. "Good work Ukyo."

"Hehe. Thanks dad," Chibi-Ukyo skipped off into the house, happily swinging her spear as she went.

Ranma's smile brightened slightly as he watched his red-haired daughter. Her birth had been somewhat of a shock to him, her hair colour indicating that his curse went far deeper than they had imagined. Still, she was the apple of her father's eye. Like Ryoga she'd been a quiet kid out of need, a baby's cry would have brought down a lot of trouble in their old lifestyle, and somehow both had sensed this. Instead the two parents had paid much attention to their two children and managed to interpret their needs with a minimum of fuss. It had been trying, but it had brought them closer as a family.

Ranma hopped across the stepping stones of the pool and landed lightly next to his father. He prodded the slumbering man with one foot. "Come on old man, wake up!"

"Huh? What?" Genma shot to his feet, and searched about for his attacker.

"You left your back wide open and Ukyo snuck up behind you and knocked you out with a special technique," Ranma explained.

Genma started visibly. "That little girl beat me?!"

Ranma answered with a nod. "Yep. 'Course she had surprise and she's pretty good with that spear. Might even be the best fighter about by sixteen, if she keeps up her training"

"That was hardly an honourable combat, my son," Genma pointed out, frowning.

Ranma shrugged as best he could with a baby in his arms. "Honourable combat wasn't what the lesson was about. It was about protecting family."

"Lesson?" Genma puffed up in pride. "Well, always glad to help you train her."

Chuckling Ranma walked past his old man towards the house. "Who said it was for her?" He left Genma standing by the koi pond, wondering on his son's words.

Inside Ranma found Nabiki standing at the kitchen door, worriedly glancing in. Ranma's memories of the middle Tendo daughter were sketchy at best after five years, but he remembered that she had a tendency to enjoy making money off others. Something also told him that worry was not something she usually showed.

"Ranma, good, get in there and stop her," Nabiki hissed, spotting him approaching.

Ranma could only stare at her blankly. He had absolutely no idea what she was talking about. Combat techniques and fighting styles he could work out, but when it came to the subtleties of words, he had no clue.

"Akane's cooking!" Nabiki exclaimed. "And it isn't CURRY!"

Still her comments went right over his head. Then, finally, it clicked. "Oh, that's right, she couldn't cook before, could she?" Ranma took up chuckling again and walked past the kitchen door.

Nabiki watched as he continued along the corridor. 'If these two continue to spring surprises on me, I'm going to crack.'

*****

The Tendo front yard wasn't large, but then it didn't really need to be. It was just a place to await those inside the house once you'd managed to get by the gates. Still, it was a beautiful area, in its own quiet way, and the perfect place for a young girl to bounce a ball on the concrete path. Chibi-Ukyo though, preferred practising with her spear, so was busy doing a series of feints when the gates burst open.

Her spear point instinctively shot to threaten the intruder, who found the point resting against his Adam's apple. He looked younger than Chibi-Ukyo's parents and she would have said he'd had a noble bearing if she didn't know some nobles who would have taken offence. Chibi-Ukyo's eyes flickered over him, his clothes were a set of white robes that might have looked impressive if they weren't so out of place, and in one hand he held a wooden sword. Obviously he hadn't expect an attack, because his weapon was held lightly and his eyes gazed fearfully down the length of the spear.

"Who are you?!" Chibi-Ukyo demanded.

The man stepped back and flourished his sword. "I am Tatewaki Kuno," lightning played behind him, "also known as the Blue Thunder of Furnikan high! I am here to rescue Akane Tendo and the pig-tailed-goddess from the clutches of the evil Ranma Saotome!" He looked down to realise that the little girl was no longer paying any attention to him.

Chibi-Ukyo walked over to the front door and slid it open. "Mum! Dad! The big idiot's here to see you!"

Moments later Ranma calmly emerged from the doorway. "Now what have I told you about insults young lady?"

Chibi-Ukyo hung her head in shame. "Only use them to get an advantage in battle."

"That's right," Ranma confirmed with a nod. He looked up to see Furnikan's prize fool still in his pose. "Hey Kuno, long time no see."

Kuno's mind, as sharp as a rusty bear trap, latched onto what the girl had said. "So foul Saotome, you have finally shown your true colours, as I knew you would. What loathsome whore bore you this devil child?!"

Ranma opened his mouth to retort, then snapped it shut again.

"Oh, Kuno!" someone sung sweetly from beside him.

Kuno turned and looked at the newcomer. A smile exploded onto his face. "Ah the beauteous Akane--"

"DON'T CALL ME A WHORE!" Akane screamed, smashing her fist into the kendoist. "And don't say Ukyo's a devil." She dusted her hands off as Ranma and their daughter watching Kuno join the birds.

"Nice punch mum," Chibi-Ukyo whistled.

"Yeah, you're still in good form," added Ranma. "Wonder if you managed to hit the canal like you always managed with me." Akane glared at him, and he smiled back in return. "You know we *were* gonna try to talk to him."

Akane shrugged. "He pressed the wrong buttons."

Before Ranma could reply Chibi-Ukyo made an exaggerated sniffing motion then asked, "What's the burning smell?"

"Eeeekk! Breakfast!" Akane dashed back into the house.

*****

"Breakfast's ready," Kasumi called, and stepped out of the doorway before the horde came trampling through. Sometimes she wondered what they would all do if she slammed shut the door, but decided against it when she realised it would simply mean replacing the door.

Kasumi's smile slipped slightly when she saw Ranma and young Chibi-Ukyo already sitting waiting at the table, eagerly awaiting their food. The pair had both moved far to quickly and quietly to be heard over the thunder that signified everyone else's approach.

It was only moments before Genma and Soun appeared. Nabiki rather reluctantly took her seat as Akane wandered in. Akane smiled at her eldest sister, then gave her a conspirational wink.

The food on the table looked delicious, not quite up to Kasumi's usual standards, but certainly very delicious. As soon the eldest Tendo daughter took her seat everyone started helping themselves to the collection of dishes on the table. Genma launched himself in with his usual gusto, grabbing what food he could. Conversely his son and granddaughter both took their time filling their plates.

As Kasumi watched she felt something was wrong, it took her a moment's concentration to see it. Even as Genma shovelled food onto his plate, Ranma's chopsticks snagged them off onto his own plate. Joining in on the fun, Chibi-Ukyo was sneaking piles of her father's stolen booty.

Realising that watching the trio was not getting her any breakfast Kasumi started helping herself. The food-fighting trio surrendered the dishes, not wishing to offend the one person everyone in the house respected. Once all the food was gone (there hadn't been leftovers since the Saotomes first arrived) everyone looked down at their plates.

"HEY! Where'd my food go?" Genma exclaimed, staring down at his half-full plate. He turned and glared at Ranma, who was innocently looking everywhere else.

"Too slow! Food go!" Chibi-Ukyo sang, and popped a morsel of food into her mouth. As the meal started even Nabiki was smiling.

Nabiki raised her first bite to her mouth before remembering and paused, aware she couldn't put it down anymore than she was willing to risk a bite. Out of the corner of her eye she watched as both of the fathers swallowed some food. Soun look thoughtful for a few second, but Genma immediately started shovelling, so Nabiki guessed the food was relatively safe.

"Kasumi, it's not like you to burn a meal," Soun commented after a few moments contemplation.

"But father," Kasumi started in her best 'I-have-no-idea-what-you're-talking-about' voice, "I didn't cook this, Akane did."

Genma immediately started gagging, earning a fiery glare from Akane. Nabiki however started in on her second mouthful, other than a slight burnt taste, the meal wasn't bad.

"If you don't like it, you don't have to eat it!" Akane snapped.

"He's right though," Ranma pointed out, "this is the worst meal you've cooked in a while."

Akane frowned, and violence seemed to hang in the air.

"I mean, it's been what, two years, since you last burnt a meal," Ranma continued as if he hadn't noticed, "but then you did get distracted by Kuno this morning, so I guess you've got your reasons."

The tension in the room eased with Akane's frown. "Sorry."

Ranma leaned across the table and patted Akane's hand. "We forgive you."

"Yeah sis, your cooking's really improved in the last three months," Nabiki added before taking another mouthful.

"Would you cut the comedy?!" Ranma snapped at his father, who was still choking violently.

"Ranma my boy," Soun spoke up once everyone had settled once more into their meals, "we have to talk about your future."

The young martial artist stopped mid shovel. "Ahhh, let's see. As soon as Ukyo and Ryoga are settled in we're going back to school..." He lowered the food to his plate.

"I'll get some catch-up work off your teachers if you want," Nabiki volunteered.

"Thanks Nabiki, we owe you one." Ranma's comment sent Genma into another coughing fit. "Ummm, we also have to talk to Shampoo, Kuno and stuff, get it clear what what's. What else? Oh yeah, we're gonna have to start looking at taking students again so we can pay the bills. I think that's it."

"Actually Ranma, you've forgotten something," Nabiki pointed out.

"Oh?"

"Well two actually. Neither Ryoga nor Ukyo have birth certificates. While Ryoga isn't much of a problem, we just have to pay a fine for late registration, Ukyo is far too old to be the child of a pair of sixteen year olds."

Akane frowned, but Ranma looked indignant. "We aren't sixteen!"

Nabiki took another mouthful and shrugged. "As far as the government is concerned you were born sixteen years ago. That's going to create all kinds of problems."

Even Ranma knew she was right and deflated. "So what's the solution?"

"I don't know," Nabiki admitted, "but there are some people I can talk to, get some legal advice. This is going to cost you Ranma."

This time it was Akane who looked indignant while Ranma was resigned. "How much?" he asked.

Nabiki shrugged. "My costs, nothing more for my big brother." Everyone stared at her. "What? He is my older brother!"

"You said two things Nabiki," Kasumi pointed out, swiftly changing the subject.

"Oh yeah," she leaned forward, chin in hands and elbows on the table. "When's the wedding?"

There was a crash as everyone but Chibi-Ukyo face-faulted.

"We're already married," Akane volunteered.

Soun immediately started the waterworks, soaking his meal in the process. "My little girl got married and I wasn't invited to the wedding!"

One of Nabiki's baleful glares was fixed on her father. "I think the invitation got lost in the mail."

"Come on mister Tendo, you really think I'd sleep with your daughter unwed?" Ranma took another bite of food. "We do have two children you know."

TWAK! Everyone leaned over the edge of the table to look at the unconscious man.

"Oh my, he collapsed," Kasumi commented. "Is he okay?"

"Guess he never put two and two together before," Akane added.

"Idiot," Nabiki muttered.

Chibi-Ukyo picked up her spear and prodded the unmoving bulk with the butt. "Not beddy-bye time."

"Geeze pop, that is really lame." Ranma shook his head.

Soun lent over and patted his friends face. "Wake up Saotome!"

*****

Nabiki was at Furnikan's gates before she realised that she hadn't extorted any money for her silence. Well, she was never one to pass up a chance, and unless someone was willing to pay big-time, talking could wait for tomorrow if Ranma and Akane didn't pay up.

The schoolyard was packed, it reminded Nabiki of when her sister arrived at school, back before the engagement had become common knowledge. The only difference was that this crowd encompassed both sexes, and seemed to be concentrated on something in its centre. As Nabiki stood watching there was a slight disturbance in the crowd, and someone pushed their way out.

Kuno's outfit had been added to since his arrival at the house. Thanks to Akane, the top of his head was now wrapped in bandages.

'Oh good, he landed head first, no damage then,' Nabiki thought.

"Nabiki Tendo! Tell these unbelievers that I am telling the truth!" Kuno called.

Nabiki found herself the centre of attention suddenly. "And what truth would that be?" she asked, taking her best "I'm-in-charge" stance.

"That the miscreant Saotome has forced your sister to bear him a child!"

Nabiki raised an eyebrow. "You mean that four year old you met when you showed up this morning? Tell me Kuno, how could Ranma and Akane have a child three years before they met?"

There was a muttering in the crowd before Kuno, and he started to look confused. "But... but... she called him father... and Akane..."

"Oh please Kuno-baby, stop wasting my time." Ignoring the spluttering kendoist, Nabiki strode through the parting crowd, which was already starting to thin out, and into the school building. 'That's another you owe me Ranma.'

*****

Ranma and Akane lay on the roof and gazed up into the blue sky. The morning's excitement had faded into a peaceful day. Thankfully none of the other suitors or fiancees had shown up so the pair got to spend time with their children. Ryoga, the good baby that he was, had complained only once, needing his nappies changed, then settled into his cot and immediately fell asleep.

Down in the garden Chibi-Ukyo happily chased birds about, purposefully thrusting her spear just to one side of them. She was a child, and it was one of those days that made even the most serious youngster feel like playing. Of course it helped that her play was as much training as fun.

Cottony clouds floated above the house, slowly moving through shapes as the winds pushed them towards the horizon.

"See that one looks like a castle," Ranma pointed up at one cloud.

"I don't know, reminds me more of a ship," Akane commented.

Ranma turned his head. "Yeah, I see it."

"And the one next to it's a flower."

"Naah, more like a nuclear symbol."

Akane pointed elsewhere. "A beautiful swan."

Ranma chose another cloud. "Charging bull."

"An ice cream cone."

"Duck," Ranma said calmly.

Akane squinted up into the sky. "I don't see a duck."

"Quack, quack, QUACK!" In a flurry of white feathers a white duck wearing a pair of bottle thick glasses pounced on top of Ranma.

"Hi Mousse!" the pair chorused, ignoring the ineffective attacks the duck was using on Ranma.

Mousse continued quacking angrily at Ranma and raking him with his wings. Unusual for the hidden-weapons Martial artist, there didn't seem to be any surprises.

"I tell you what Mousse," Ranma said, catching hold of the duck and leaping to his feet, "how about I take you downstairs, get some hot water, and then you can yell at me in a language I can understand."

"Go ahead Ranma," Akane told him.

"Yes ma'am." Ranma vanished over the edge of the roof.

It took only a minute to get some hot water for Mousse, during which time the small duck continued to flap and squawk. Ranma poured the kettle over the fowl, then stepped back and watched while Mousse transformed in a cloud of steam.

"SAOTOME!" Mousse roared, having quickly pulled his normal robes from nowhere and donned them. "How dare you return?! I will not let you take Shampoo again!" He thrust out, sending a chain whizzing through the air.

"Why would I want to?" Ranma leapt over the chain.

"Are you saying Shampoo is not good enough for you?!" He launched himself at Ranma.

The pair crashed out the door and landed in a tussle in ground. Ranma immediately flipped the Chinese martial artist off him. Twisting in mid-air Mousse pulled out another weapon and threw it at Ranma. With little more than a twitch, Ranma dodged out the way of the projectile, which buried itself in a tree behind him. In retaliation Ranma sprinted towards his opponent, dodging more chained weapons.

Reaching Mousse, Ranma punched upwards, trying to uppercut him, but the Chinese boy flipped backwards. Realising his mistake Ranma leapt backwards, just in time to have his shirt shredded by the talons on Mousse's shoes.

"Damn, another shirt ruined!" Ranma swore and threw himself at Mousse's back.

Mousse's hands blurred and Ranma blocked the incoming blow, feeling the collision of the swan potty Mousse used in the swan fist. Dodging a sword thrust, Ranma allowed his feet to slide out from under him. As he hit the ground he twisted suddenly snaking his feet around Mousse's legs and throwing him.

Recovering quickly Mousse spun back on Ranma and charged, pulling a trident from somewhere. Ranma grabbed the weapon as it came within reach and heaved it up over him. For once Mousse flew without the aid of cold water, arcing over Ranma's head, carried by his own momentum. However as he passed from Ranma's field of vision he let loose a chain which wrapped around Ranma, pulling him along for the ride.

Twisting like a cat, Ranma was horrified to see where they were heading. "UKYO! DROP!" he screamed.

Chibi-Ukyo, still happily chasing birds, simply fell to the ground and the two fighters sailed over her head. They landed with a splash, sending water flying from the Koi pond.

A rather angry female Ranma rose from the pool, holding Mumu the duck. "I don't care if you attack me!" THAWK! His fist struck the animal. "Just keep others out of it!" THAWK! "ESPECIALLY MY DAUGHTER!" BOOT! Mumu was propelled towards the horizon. Ranma turned and ran over to her daughter. "Are you alright honey?"

Ukyo leapt to her feet and dusted herself off. "I'm fine dad. Thanks for the warning."

Tears formed in Ranma's eyes as she wrapped her arms about Chibi-Ukyo. "I'm sorry, I shouldn't have let that get out of hand." She heard Akane land off to one side.

"What happened?" Akane hurried over to the pair.

Ukyo looked up at her mother. "I wasn't paying attention and almost got hit by dad's fight." She looked at her father's chest. "Um, dad."

Ranma looked down and noticed the tatters of her shirt and her rather prominent attributes. She quickly grabbed what she could to cover herself and ran inside to get another shirt.

"Dad's so funny," Chibi-Ukyo giggled.

Akane smiled warmly at her lovers retreating back. "Yes, he is, isn't he."


	3. Chapter 3

Returning Home

Chapter 3

By David Farr

Ranma 1/2 is copyrighted by Rumiko Takahashi/Shogakukan,Inc and is used here respectfully for the purposes of fanfiction. This story may be redistributed only if unchanged and no fee is charged.

*****

Nabiki sat quietly, busily writing in her note book. The rest of her class, including Kuno, sat about her, working on the math problems their teacher had set. A quick glance at her watch showed that she just had time to complete one more question. It wasn't difficult, she always excelled at anything to do with numbers, although the real joy came when the numbers referred to cash, preferably with lots of digits.

The lunch bell rang, signalling the end of class. Everyone looked up and waited until the teacher dismissed them, then a number of small conversations started as people filed out. Nabiki waited until the last of her classmates left then made her way to the front of the class.

"Excuse me, sir." It galled her slightly to be asking nicely, but she also knew that people were more willing to help if you had the right attitude.

Mr Arokawa, Nabiki's teacher, smiled. "Ah, Miss Tendo, what juicy bit of gossip do you have for me today?"

It was hard, but Nabiki suppressed her desire to retort. "Actually sir, I need some advice."

"Oh? What on?" The man took his seat behind his desk and waved his hand at the nearest chair.

"Did you hear what Kuno was going on about this morning?" she inquired as she lowered herself into the chair.

"Your sister and Ranma Saotome having a child? Interesting tale, unlikely though." He paused for a few moments. "But this being Saotome, I'm guessing it's true, despite the obvious problems."

"Yes." Nabiki sighed. "It's a long story, but it ends up with the two of them having lived five years in our last three months, and now they have two children."

Arokawa shook his head. "Only in Furinkan. So what is the problem?"

"Neither of the children are registered as born with the government. I was hoping you might be able to help us find someone to deal with the legal problems."

"Like a pair of sixteen years olds having a four year old child?" He looked thoughtful. "I've got a friend who deals with family law and more specifically adoptions. She might be able to help you. I'll call her and see if she will see you for an interview. Do you mind if I give her your phone number?"

Nabiki smiled. "Thank you sir, please do." She stood and bowed. "You have been most helpful."

"Consider it a free service, but remember it next time you hear something that might affect me."

Nabiki gave him a look of shock. "Sir, are you accusing me of gossiping?" she inquired.

"Gossip? No, your information is too good to be gossip."

Nabiki smiled. "Thank you sir."

*****

Nabiki staggered out of the teacher's lounge under a huge pile of books and loose paper. Three months was a long time, Ranma and Akane's teachers had delighted in giving the truant pair as much work as they possibly could. Unfortunately, this meant that Nabiki was doing some unwanted weight training.

"Nabiki, is that you?" a voice asked from the other side of the pile.

"Who's asking?" Nabiki snapped rudely. She was not in a good mood.

"Ukyo."

"What are you doing here? You should be home... oh right, the other Ukyo." Nabiki tried to peer around the stack. "Umm, could you help me with this?"

"Right." The stack was immediately lifted from her arms. Nabiki's eyes almost bugged out when she saw Ukyo standing there, balancing the pile on one hand.

"What did you want Ukyo?" Nabiki asked, dusting her hands.

"They say Ran-chan's back. Is that true?"

Nabiki sighed and shook her head. "Don't you check your messages? Yes, they're home, but--"

"Is this stuff for them? I can take it to them if you want."

"Yes, it's the work they missed while they were away, but--"

Ukyo was already halfway down the corridor. "THANKS!"

Nabiki stamped her foot angrily. "What is with these people?! No one listens to me!"

*****

Another of Kasumi's perfectly cooked meals lay spread out on the table. Ranma and Akane sat on either side of their daughter, facing their fathers, with Kasumi sitting between the two groups. Kasumi nodded and everyone started helping themselves. As with breakfast Ranma and Genma started fencing over the food. While their manners at times got on Kasumi's nerves, it was also nice to know your food was so appreciated.

A knock at the door interrupted the meal. "I'll get it," Kasumi sighed, getting to her feet. As she left she heard a chorus of muffled "thank you"s.

Ranma continued protecting his and his family's plates, taking bites where he could. Truth be told Genma was only using Akane and little Ukyo to stretch Ranma's defences. The old man had quickly found out that Ranma was very good at looking after others.

"Of course, we were just sitting down to lunch. Will you join us?" Kasumi was saying as she approached the dinning room.

"Sure, ah, I brought some Okonomiyaki along, I hope you don't mind," said the other person in the hall.

"Well, that makes three," Ranma commented dryly, snagging a piece of fish from his father's chopsticks and sliding it back on Akane's plate. "In one day, what's more."

Akane sighed and popped the recovered morsel into her mouth. "It's to be expected really. We could never have a normal life."

Kasumi entered, followed by an ambulatory pile of papers that smelled of freshly baked Okonomiyaki. "Please Ukyo, just put that down and take a seat. I'm sure we won't mind sharing some of our lunch in return for your food."

The pile was carefully turned, revealing Ukyo. She lowered the books to the ground, then grabbed a box from the top. "Ran-chan, I brought this..." her voice trailed off as turned and caught sight of the little girl sitting at the table. Little Ukyo, realising she was being stared at, went cross-eyed and poked her tongue out at her namesake.

The elder Ukyo looked first from the child, to her father, then to her mother, then back to the child. The resemblance to the pair was uncanny. Ukyo even remembered Ranma looking like that at that age. For the first time in her life, Ukyo Kuonji swooned.

*****

"Nabiki Tendo!"

Nabiki looked up from her desk to find the tip of Kuno's bokken hovering before her nose. Not surprisingly, the idiot himself was standing at the other end. "What do you want Kuno-baby?"

Kuno went into one of those righteous poses he enjoyed so much. "I wish to know the truth about the child I saw this morning!"

'I guessed as much,' Nabiki thought. She propped her chin on one arm. "Truth is such an abstract notion. What do you really want to know?"

"Are Akane Tendo and Ranma Saotome truly her parents?" the kendoist demanded.

"Right to the point, eh Kuno-baby?" Nabiki shifted in her seat and gazed coolly at him. Taking a deep breath she started talking. "Well, she calls them mum and dad, they answer to it, they look after her and yet she couldn't possible have been born within the last nine months, let alone conceived almost five years ago. Leaves us with a large problem, doesn't it? Of course direct blood isn't the only thing that makes a parent. So it's entirely possible that they both are and aren't. Then we have the interesting fact that she's red headed, which neither Ranma nor Akane are, unlike the pig-tailed-girl, so we've got another possibility. Then of course we can get into the really wacky hypothesises. She could be an alien who's disguised herself as a child and hypnotised Akane and Ranma to make them believe she really is theirs, but that's just stupid." She finally stopped talking, leaving Kuno and everyone else in earshot blinking.

Time passed while Kuno wrestled with the deluge of information. "So who are the child's parents?!" he demanded finally.

Nabiki drew another deep breath, but was waved silent by Kuno. "Silence! Obviously I will get no straight answers from you. I will seek my own enlightenment."

As Kuno strode away, forgetting that class was about to restart, Nabiki shook her head. "What did he expect for free?"

*****

Groaning, Ukyo awoke to an aching pain in the back of her head and the distant sound arguing. Whoever they were their voices were muffled beyond recognition. Her eyes cracked open to the blurred image of red hair. Someone was leaning over her.

"Ran-chan?" she inquired weakly.

The blurry image giggled like a child. "WRONG!" It vanished. "Mum, dad, she's awake!"

The arguing voices stopped and in the silence she heard the whisper of the door opening. Soft steps made their way across the room and stopped by her. Ukyo blinked the sleep from her eyes and stared at the ceiling.

"Ucchan?" It was Ranma, sounding very worried, but he hadn't arrived alone, Ukyo would bet her reputation as a martial artist on that.

Ukyo propped herself up on her elbows and turned to face Ranma and the others. Akane stood next to him, looking concerned, as if she actually cared, and beside him, the red-haired little girl, still looking all the world like a young version of Ranma's female form. Ignoring her two friends Ukyo focussed on the little girl. Cute and smiling the child stared right back.

"Ran-chan, tell me she's some strange spin off from your curse," Ukyo said, almost pleading.

A snort escaped from Akane. "Well, at least she did better than Kuno."

"Akane, darling, that's not very nice," Ranma commented, his voice was only slightly scolding, more... loving? No, that was impossible. Wasn't it?

"Ucchan," Ranma sat on the bed beside her, "we've got a lot to talk about." He looked up at Akane, who nodded and wrapped her arms about the child.

"Come on Ukyo, let's leave daddy alone with his friend," she and the girl made away. Neither of the pair on the bed said anything until the door clicked closed.

"Ukyo?" she asked, staring at Ranma, then "DADDY?!"

Ranma sighed, an unusually deep sigh for him. "It's a long story Ukyo."

Ukyo glanced at her watch, school was half over and she wouldn't need to open the restaurant for awhile. "I'm listening."

"That's a switch," Ranma commented dryly. "Okay then, where to begin?"

"How about the day you two vanished?!" Ukyo suggested with more than a little impatience.

"Right, well it was on the way to school..."

*****

"You would have to make us late AGAIN!" Akane snapped, panting heavily. She glared up at Ranma who dashed effortlessly along the fence, keeping pace with her.

"Hey, it's not my fault, blame pops!" Ranma glanced down at her, making sure she wasn't about to clobber him. It was this moment of inattention that cost Ranma.

The only thing that saved him was the suddenly jarring that struck his danger sense. He flipped clear of the explosion as it tore apart the metal fence, and whipped his arms up to protect his face from the shrapnel. He dropped into place next to Akane as she lowered her bag from covering her head.

"What the--?" Akane demanded angrily.

"RANMA! How dare you?!"

Both teenagers looked up to find Happosai standing on the rooftop of the nearby house. The diminutive master of martial arts seethed with anger, his aura burning an angry blue.

"What have you done to him now?!"

Ranma glanced at her and shrugged before turning back. "What's up ya old letch?!"

"You stole all my pretties and dare to ask me what's wrong?!" Happosai demanded. "Well, Ranma, now you will pay the price!" He started cackling.

"Ranma, you PERvert!" Akane whacked Ranma over the head.

"But, I didn't! What would I want with the letch's haul?!"

"Who else would steal them?!" Happosai returned.

*****

Back at the Tendo household Kasumi got out the basket of washing she had taken down off the line. She would have had it folded already, but take nice man had called trying to sell her a subscription to a magazine. He had not made a sale, but she was sure her name would not end up on any lists. After all, few salesmen liked being chattered to for an hour. Now, all she had to do was figure out was how to return all the panties Master Happosai had stolen.

*****

Meanwhile Happosai had whipped a scroll out from the folds in his robes. "This time you have gone too far Ranma. I won't go easy on you as I did with the Moxibustion of Ultimate weakness!" He unfurled the scroll and started to chant.

"Akane, get back, there's no telling what he may do?!" Ranma swept his arm back.

Akane answered by smashing her bag into his arm. "HEY! I'm a martial artist too, I can handle it!"

Ranma turned on her. "Look, this is my fight!"

"Why you!" Akane growled, hunching up in anger.

As the pair argued Happosai finished his surprisingly short incantation. Air rushed outwards explosively as space itself was torn open, allowing an oozing mass of silver to flow out onto the pavement.

Happosai cackled. "I can not forgive you this time, Ranma! Even if it means I will never see that beautiful girl side of yours again, you WILL be destroyed!"

The creature had a very simple mind, and thus its sudden relocation bothered it not a bit. Instead, it continued to pursue the goal for which it had been created. To this end it searched the area for targets.

It divided everything into three categories; scenery, which it was supposed to leave as undamaged as possible; threats, which were to be destroyed instantly; and finally targets, which while secondary to threats, were still a high priority on the "to kill" list.

In the immediate area there were lots of the first; buildings, plants, it seemed to have arrived in some form of city. Determining this, it quickly extended its senses, searching for threats in the form of power sources, explosives or even lumps of metal or ceramics that might constitute a firearm. Unfortunately for it, ridiculously over-powered martial artists weren't considered a threat, or even a realistic possibility.

So it was that the creature immediately assumed that the three human entities in the immediate vicinity were all viable, but non-aggressive targets. Being the efficient killer that it was, it immediately categorised the targets further.

Most distant from it was a human that its sensors showed was old. This condition dropped the target to the bottom of the lists of targets. Next on the list was a male, teenage, certainly an important target. However, the final human was female and still capable of baring children. It considered it most important to keep the enemy from reproducing.

Ranma and Akane had both taken an involuntary step back as the blob oozed across the pavement, their argument dying on their lips. Both stood, muscles tensed, as long seconds ticked past. Finally, with nothing seeming to happen, Ranma relaxed and started to look back up at Happosai to taunt him.

At that moment the silver blob reacted, throwing a tentacle out at amazing speed. It took only an instant for Ranma to figure out who the target was, but even that instant was too long. He did the only thing he could, throwing himself sideways, turning as he travelled, and slamming into Akane.

He gave a cry of pain as the tentacle slammed into the small of his back. It felt like one of Ryoga's punches.

What passed for the creature's thought processes were in disarray. The young male had reacted to its attack with enough speed to save the female, only to take it himself. Only it had survived and this was something outside of its experience. The young male was not wearing armour, was not augmented, and yet showed no signs of even suffering from broken bones.

A special part of its mind suddenly flared to life in an attempt to deal with the situation, overriding its normal thoughts. This was an anomaly, and such anomalies interested its creators, so all their creations were instructed to return to them with this anomaly.

Akane lay on the ground where she had fallen, Ranma on hands and knees over her. His breathing was hard and she looked up into his face to see something she had only seen a few times there, pain, excruciating pain.

The metal blob attacked again, this time sending a horde of tentacles towards Ranma. Akane saw this and reacted quickly, folding her legs up and planting her feet on his chest. Shoving upwards, she sent him flying out of the path of the tentacles, then rolled away herself.

Pain flared through Ranma's body as he flipped in mid-air. He would never admit it, but he had serious doubts about this battle. There was nothing more he wanted than to scoop up Akane and make a run for it. But his pride wouldn't let him.

The blob didn't give him time to recover. As the tentacles arced around for another attack, attempting to ensnare him. Ranma leapt again, hoping to clear the tangle of metal, but the thing's speed, combined with the pain burning in his back, was too much for him.

Akane watched in horror as the tentacles wrapped around Ranma, trapping him in a cocoon of metal. The blob immediately started back through the still open portal.

'It defeated Ranma,' Akane thought in disbelief as the last of it vanished. 'Ranma needs help. Ranma needs MY help.' "YES!" Without another thought she charged forward, following the thing into the darkness of the hole in space.

Moments later the portal snapped shut, leaving Happosai staring at an empty street, a crumbling parchment in his hands. He thought for a second, as the true consequences of his actions sunk in. 'There are going to be lots of people who won't like this. Time for a vacation I think.'

*****

The sudden change of scenery left Akane disoriented momentarily. Gone was suburban Tokyo, replaced instead with a shanty town of poorly constructed, and in some cases, destroyed, shacks. Just beyond the shacks was a dense forest.

The blob, still holding Ranma's cocoon above it, was slithering through the path of destruction in the village. About it men were crying out in alarm, grabbing strange looking guns and starting to turn them on its silvery surface.

"Don't worry Ranma! I'll save you!" Akane shouted, charging forward.

The commandos had been surprised when the hole had sucked up the man-killer, not that they were willing to look a gift house in the mouth. It's sudden return had found them unprepared as they had started looking after the wounded and started to evacuate the civilians. Of course they hadn't expected a young girl surrounded by blue fire to run straight at the thing. This was the only reason Akane didn't get shot to pieces in the crossfire.

Mindlessly pursuing its current mission - to return the anomaly to its creators - the man-killer was ignoring everything about it. All of its energy was being diverted to defence and movement. In that condition it could easy take hits from lasers, assault rifles, even some anti-tank weaponry without having to react.

Its makers, though, had not thought to protect it from someone performing a leap kick on a pseudo-pod. After all, no one could possibly kick hard enough to split the metal and anyway in standard practise a pseudo-pod was a minor loss. Of course the "retrieve anomaly" subroutines in its memory weren't fully integrated with the rest of its programs, so for once, this wasn't true.

Which of course meant that Akane's ki-enhanced leap kick sliced right through the metal, sending a shudder through her as the liquid metal flowed over her body. She landed on the other side of the blob, and for a moment just knelt there staring ahead, while the cocoon hovered in the air, separated form the blob by an Akane sized hole.

Ranma felt his prison weakening and kicked off against the wall. His outstretched fist was the first thing to pierce to the outside. The young martial artist shot outwards as the cocoon melted behind him, and splashed back down on the man-killer.

Pain shot through his back as he landed, and he stumbled to his knees. Moments passed as he fought for control, then he was aware of Akane crying his name, and arriving by his side.

"Ranma, are you okay?" she demanded. For the first time in his life Ranma heard real worry in her voice, and... caring?

"Yeah, I'll be great." He gasped as he rose. "But we gotta take out that thing before it tries to get anyone else."

The man-killer, meanwhile, was having problems of its own. The "retrieval anomaly" subroutines, holdovers from a previous model of weapon, had terminally crashed, leaving only the standard tactical subroutines to deal with the problem. Unfortunately they were woefully inadequate, and only had one solution, to run the now inoperable retrieval subroutines.

This left it sitting wide open when the two martial artists struck it with a vengeance, their auras flaring wildly. In moments the blob was reduced to a few thousand pools of metal covering parts of the small village and a few of the nearby people.

Ranma and Akane stood, gasping for breath in the centre of the devastation. The locals watched from shelter, not yet willing to approach this pair that had just done what had long been considered impossible.

Ranma straightened, wincing in pain as he did, and glared at Akane. "Are you insane?! What made you think a tomboy like you could take on that thing alone?!"

"What?!" she screeched. "I expected a thank you at least! I should have known better, you jerk!"

"Thank you?!" Ranma shot back. "Why should I thank you? I didn't need your help!"

"Oh, right, like you could have escaped yourself?"

"I don't need help from some clumsy tomboy!"

"Clumsy?! I saved your butt!"

"Right, and if you hadn't gotten in the way it wouldn't have hit me in the first place!"

"Excuse me."

Ranma and Akane both turned to the man that had interrupted their fight. He was large, European, dressed in camouflage fatigues and carried a very big rifle in his hands. "BUTT OUT!" both youths snapped, then paused as his presence registered.

The commando smiled at them as they stared back in surprise. "Hi, I'm called Samuel Dallas, and I'd really like to know how you beat that thing."

*****

Ukyo fixed the young martial artist with a glare. "Interesting tale Ran-chan, but it doesn't explain much."

"Yeah well, it turns out that thing was made by some people, and sent after Dallas and his men. They were losing badly when Happosai summoned that thing into our world, and were rather shocked when it came back." Ranma shook his head. "Unfortunately none of our new friends had even the slightest idea what had really happened. So we threw our lot in with them."

Ranma paused, and lowered his head. "We really didn't think we'd ever get home, and even with all our new friends, it was kind of lonely. Especially without our family," he looked up at her, tears mixed with apologies shining in his eyes, "or friends. I guess it was only natural that we'd grow close."

Ukyo shuddered and turned away. She couldn't bear to look into those eyes.

"Without Pop and Mr Tendo about to bother us, or someone popping up at just the wrong moment, it wasn't hard for us to admit our feelings. Ucchan, I'm... I'm sorry." He fell silent.

Ukyo's hands scrunched up the covers of the futon she was lying on as thoughts conflicted in her head. She had never believed that Ranma had actually loved Akane, they were always fighting so violently, and that he was only going though with the marriage because of his honour. It had always been her hope that he would find some way out of it and then they could be happy together.

"Why Ranma?" she whispered.

"I don't know, I guess... it's the way I felt." He was whispering as well, as if keeping quiet could lessen the pain.

"Not THAT!" she raged, turning on him. He recoiled from the anger on her tear-streaked face. "WHY DID YOU LEAD ME ON?! Why did you let me think I had a chance?! You loved her you bastard!"

"I... I... don't know. I was scared. I guess." He slumped forward, head hanging low again. "I like you Ucchan, and I didn't want to loose you as a friend. What I did to you was wrong, absolutely wrong, like something Pop would do. There's no excuse, and I'm not gonna offer one, just ask if you can forgive me." He looked, his eyes pleading with her.

Despite everything, the pain, the betrayal, she could not stay angry. As the feelings drained away she allowed herself to collapse back onto the futon. "So what about Akane, and the little girl? How? I mean, in three months?"

"Well, it wasn't three months for us, it was a lot longer." He shrugged, cutting off her questions. "Anyway, we married and in time Akane got pregnant. When we saw it was a girl we decided to name her after someone we knew, you know, try to claim back some part of what we still thought we'd lost for good. Akane suggested Kasumi, but even as a baby she was too, I dunno, fiery, for that name, so I suggested your name and Akane agreed. So we had a little Ukyo and life seemed good."

Ukyo looked at him. "I guess that's a good second place prize then."

"Best I could think of," Ranma grinned. He reached over and brushed a tear off her cheek. "I was kinda thinking you might like to help us train her. She's really into using that spear of hers, and you are about the only person that fights with a weapon I would trust to help."

"Thanks Ranchan, I think I'd enjoy that." She paused. "Maybe you should finish your tale, just so I don't get any other surprises."

Laughing, Ranma started once more into his story, this time more at ease. Every so often the pair would burst into laughter. They were still going when there was a knock at the door and Akane poked her head in.

She smiled at the pair. "Excuse me for interrupting, but I think Ukyo should be opening her restaurant soon. Ranma, you and I have a lot of work to catch up on for school too."

Ukyo glanced down at her watch. Time really had flown past, and soon the after school rush would begin. "The grill's not even hot yet!" She hopped out of the bed and raced to the door. As Akane stepped out of the way, she turned back. "Do you two mind if I come back after closing to hear some more about your adventures?"

"We'd be glad to talk Ukyo," Akane volunteered. "Just make sure you call first, we might be in the middle of a fight with Shampoo or something equally insane."

Ukyo's laughter followed her down the stairs.

Ranma was still smiling as he stepped up to his wife. "That went well." His arm wrapped about her waist.

"Yeah, a little too well," murmured Akane as she was pulled close. Her comment went unheard.

*****

Kuno paced Furinkan High's gym, muttering to himself. The basketballers had long since given up practice, as Kuno, deep in thought, had kept walking into their game and absently slashing his bokken at anyone who got too close.

"The child called Ranma father and he treats her like a daughter," he muttered, for the fourth time that afternoon. "Akane believes Ranma's spawn to be her own, yet the child bears more resemblance to my pig-tailed-goddess." He reached the end of the gym, spun and started to march back. "Yet, too little time has passed for any of them to bear child and for her to grow up."

He stopped pacing and took on what he considered to be a thoughtful pose. In fact he looked remarkably like the statue of 'The Thinker.' "But what if the child's resemblance to the pig-tailed-girl is more than what it appears? What if this is some cunning plot by that foul devil Saotome to keep her from me?"

Thwack! His bokken slammed into the palm of his hand. "That's it! Somehow that sorcerer, in an attempt to keep them from me, has youthened the pig-tailed-girl and convinced Akane Tendo that she is their daughter. Then he can have them both!"

So distracted was Kuno by his flash of brilliance that he missed the twin crashes from beneath the bleachers. As Furnikan's resident loon raced from the building the two spies looked at each other. Once he was gone Hiroshi and Daisuke hurried off to find a phone. Nabiki would be kind to anyone who offered her a warning about this, and that was much better than peeping at the cheerleaders practising.

*****

That night had been one of the busiest that Ucchan's Okonomiyaki had seen in a very long time. Everyone from Furinkan had come asking about Ranma and Akane. The more observant ones had stopped asking after she had served her fourth burnt Okonomyaki. It had been a battle for self-control, as various groups openly speculated on the pair's disappearance and recent reappearance. Few of them realised just how close they were to the truth.

Finally the last of the customers left, waving goodnight to the smiling chef as they walked into the darkened streets. Ukyo slid the door closed and slipped home the bolt. She rested her head on the wooden frame and just stood in perfect silence, listening to the quiet murmur of distant traffic.

"Oh Ran-chan." A single tear rolled down her cheek and hung for a moment from her chin before falling away.

The ringing of the telephone startled Ukyo out of her funk. Shuffling, she crossed the room and lifted the receiver. "Moshi moshi." She shook herself and tried to put a bit more of her usual brightness into her voice. "Ucchan's Okonomyaki."

"Nihao, is Shampoo here!" The amazon's cheerful voice was the last thing Ukyo wanted to hear. In the background Ukyo could hear cars humming.

"Hi Shampoo, how's China?" Ukyo asked, continuing to put on her best voice.

"Is same as always. Grandmother get mercenary girl's message. Is true Ranma back?"

Ukyo sighed, what else would Shampoo call about. "Yeah, he's back. Actually I was about to go over and see them."

"Is violent girl there too?" her voice was more dangerous now. Akane had a habit of bringing that out in Shampoo.

"Yep, Akane's here too. Look Shampoo, there's something I've gotta tell you--"

"It have to wait," Shampoo interrupted, "Shampoo's money about to run out."

"Wait, don't..." She trailed off as the phone clicked and the line went dead. "Damn."

*****

"This is going to become a recurring theme," Nabiki commented, having heard Ukyo's account. They, Akane and Ranma sat about the Tendo dining room table, talking quietly so as not to disturb the two go players.

"What do you mean?" Akane asked.

Nabiki shrugged. "So far every time anyone's tried to give an advanced warning about you two, they've been cut off. Not too surprising, but frustrating never the less. So any ideas where they were?"

"China somewhere," Ukyo hazarded, "I don't really know."

Nabiki sighed. "At least we don't have to worry about them for a few days. Which brings us to our next point of business."

"Since when was this a corporation?" Ranma joked.

One of Nabiki's patronising glares struck Ranma. "Don't make fun of what I do Ranma, I am helping you."

"Sorry Nabiki," Ranma hurriedly apologised. "So what else is wrong?"

"Well, I got a call from a pair of informants that tell me Kuno's on the warpath and perhaps more dangerous than ever. He was overheard saying that he now believes that Ukyo, ah the child, not you, Ukyo, is in fact the pig-tailed-girl."

Ukyo snorted, trying to hold back her laughter. "I can't wait to hear this one."

"It might be my fault a little," Nabiki admitted. "I tried to confuse him and it seems he picked up a few things and twisted them."

"I'm sure you didn't mean to," Akane soothed her, patting Nabiki's hand.

Nabiki stared at her sister in shock for a few seconds. "Right, ah thanks Akane. Anyway, he apparently thinks Ranma has turned the elusive pig-tailed-girl into a child and turned her and Akane into his family."

"That's a leap, even for Kuno. So what's he gonna try?" Ranma leaned forward.

"Come on Ranma, you know Kuno as well as I do."

Ranma shook his head. "Nup, I've seen him once in the last five years."

"He's got you there Nabiki honey," Ukyo pointed out, smiling.

"Well," Nabiki thought for a second, drawing the word out as she did, "I'd guess he'd try to break the spell..." her voice trailed off.

"Ukyo!" Ranma and Akane chorused, leaping to their feet and smashing through the go game, leaving a pair of crushed fathers in their wake. They were only halfway across the yard when a high pitched screech rent the air. Ukyo and Nabiki arrived at the dinning room door in time to see a light flash inside the dojo.

Akane hit the door before Ranma, and smashed through it, showering those inside in wood chips and paper.


	4. Chapter 4

Returning Home

Chapter 4

By David Farr

Ranma 1/2 is copyrighted by Rumiko Takahashi/Shogakukan,Inc and is used here respectfully for the purposes of fanfiction. This story may be redistributed only if unchanged and no fee is charged.

*****

Nabiki glared at Ranma. "Come on Ranma, you know Kuno as well as I do."

Ranma shook his head. "Nup, I've seen him once in the last five years."

"He's got you there, Nabiki honey," Ukyo pointed out, smiling.

"Well," Nabiki thought for a second, drawing the word out as she did, "I'd guess he'd try to break the spell..." her voice trailed off.

"Ukyo!" Ranma and Akane chorused, leaping to their feet and smashing through the go game. A trampled Genma and Soun lay groaning in their wake. They were only halfway across the yard when a high pitched screech rent the air. Ukyo and Nabiki arrived at the dinning room door in time to see a flash of light inside the dojo.

Akane hit the door before Ranma and smashed through it, showering those inside with wood chips and tissue paper.

"MUMMY!" A small figure assaulted Akane, wrapping her arms around her mother and breaking into frightened sobs. As Akane fell to her knees to hold the frightened child Ranma continued past.

It took only an instant for Ranma to spot his daughter's assailant, lying slumped in one corner. A bokken was still held tightly in one hand, but it, like his samurai robes, was badly scorched. Appearing next to Kuno, Ranma grabbed the kendoist's hair and pulled. He regarded the soot-smeared face and more than usual vacant expression, checked for a pulse, then allowed Kuno's head to droop once more.

"He'll be okay in a few hours," Ranma reported, turning to face his wife and child. A crash startled him as Kuno slid down the wall and collapsed on the floor.

"It's okay, darling, it's okay," Akane was repeating to her crying daughter. "The bad man can't hurt you now."

Ranma joined the kneeling pair, encircling them both in his arms. For a long time the trio was silent, other than Ukyo's sobs and Akane's soothing murmuring. Equally quiet in the doorway stood Nabiki and Ukyo, watching the huddled family.

The bawling of a baby broke the silence and grew closer. Nabiki turned, then tapped Ukyo on the shoulder. The pair pulled up against the door frame, letting through a worried Kasumi holding a crying bundle. Ranma separated from his family and hopped over to Kasumi, a sad smile on his face.

"I'm sorry..." Kasumi whispered, "he just started crying, and I couldn't..." she lowered her head in shame, "...sorry."

"It's okay," Ranma replied quietly. He took little Ryoga from her, and gently cradled him. "He's just worried." As he walked back to Akane and Chibi-Ukyo he rocked the baby, whose crying ended in a gurgle and a smile. He knelt beside his daughter. "See Ukyo, Ryoga wanted to make sure you're alright."

Chibi-Ukyo raised her head from her mother's chest and gazed with swollen red eyes at her little brother. She reached out and brushed his cheek. "Thanks Ry-Ry," she smiled weakly at Ryoga, who reached up and grabbed her finger. "Ow! Ow! Let go Ry-Ry! That hurts!"

"He'll live up to his name." Ranma chuckled.

Nabiki was startled by a sniff from beside her. She turned to see tears welling up in the elder Ukyo's eyes. "Painful, isn't it," she whispered. "Come, let's leave them alone."

Ukyo nodded and started turning through the door. Then a thought struck her, so she spun and dashed across the dojo. "You take care of little Ukyo," she called, slinging Kuno over her shoulder, "we'll deal with sleeping beauty here." Before Ranma could answer she'd bounced back across the room and out the door. Kasumi and finally Nabiki followed her moments later.

Nabiki paused at the door and looked over her shoulder. Chibi-Ukyo and Akane had separated and were looking at baby Ryoga. While her eyes were still red from tears, they also shone with a smile that her face mirrored. Akane and Ranma both seemed more at ease too, and Ryoga seemed to delight in being the centre of attention. Briefly she wondered what fires forged a family like that, then, with a slight smile, she left them to themselves.

*****

Kuno awoke as the frozen water struck him hard. "Who dares...?" he spluttered, trying to rise. The presence of something cold and sharp on his Adam's apple prevented him from going beyond propping himself up on his elbows.

Blinking the water from his eyes, the soaked young man found himself towered over by a trio of displeased women. It was Ukyo Kuonji's spatula that blocked his motion, her glare bore down its length, skewering him to the spot. Next to her, hands on hips, stood Nabiki Tendo, giving him a look of disgust and hatred that few had ever seen from the usually reserved girl. Finally, next to her younger sister stood Kasumi Tendo, giving him what was the most mild of the expressions, but from such a peaceful woman it was a statement of true feeling.

"What got into your moronic little mind?" Ukyo demanded, her glare hardening even more.

"I need not explain myself to you!" Kuno sniffed imperiously.

"Would you prefer to explain to the police?" Nabiki sneered, leaning forward. She'd always known how to cut an imposing figure, even if she couldn't harm the person in question.

"And for what reason would the authorities become involved?" Kuno inquired, pride still dripping from his voice.

Nabiki straightened and started counting on her fingers. "Trespass, breaking and entering, physical abuse of a minor, attempted kidnap. Think that's enough?"

"I did none of those things! I only attempted to rescue the pig-tailed-girl from the clutches of that cur Saotome."

Ukyo rolled her eyes and growled. "Think the cops'll see it that way, honey?"

Still frowning, Kasumi stepped forward. "Leave our home and do not return!" She nodded to Ukyo who flicked up her spatula and shoved it into the straps on her back, letting Kuno get to his feet.

"And you can consider that a permanent withdrawal of your invitation," Nabiki yelled at his retreating back.

*****

Ranma came downstairs, looking beat. He dropped down onto the floor next to the dining room table and looked around at the three women sitting there. All three were quietly sipping tea, watching him with interest.

"Finally got Ukyo and Ryoga off to sleep. Akane decided to get some shut-eye as well." Ranma accepted the cup offered by Kasumi.

"And you couldn't sleep?" Ranma shook his head to answer Nabiki's question. "Pity, I've seen you looking better after fights you've almost lost."

"Yeah well, dealing with emotions is harder than beating someone up." Ranma shrugged. "What happened to Kuno?"

Ukyo smiled around her cup. "Nabiki threatened him with the cops, then Kasumi ordered him out. I've never seen him run so fast." She put down her tea. "Ranma, you'll have to deal with him. Set him straight somehow."

Sighing, Ranma slumped down, age apparently falling about his shoulders. "I know, but he's so hard to talk to. Akane and I want to be sure of what we say so he doesn't misinterpret it."

"Good luck," Nabiki said patronisingly. She stood and stretched. "Well, I think I'll follow Akane's example and go to bed."

Kasumi also stood. "Yes, it has been a long night." She turned and started following Nabiki to the door. "Oh, just leave the tea things on the table. I'll get them in the morning."

"Okay Kasumi, see you tomorrow," Ranma called after the Tendo sisters.

"Good night, Kasumi, Nabiki," Ukyo added.

"Night," the pair chorused, vanishing into the darkness of the house.

"I noticed the old men didn't help you," commented Ranma once they were gone.

Ukyo shrugged. "They were probably still recovering from the footprints you and Akane gave them," she giggled. "You were in a hurry at the time."

"Kasumi packed them off to bed?" Ranma asked. Ukyo nodded and he continued. "Ah well, at least he'll wait a little while before annoying us again. Kuno I mean, not Pop or Mr Tendo."

"That's what Nabiki thought," Ukyo pointed out, "and look where that left us. What was that flash I saw as you ran up?"

"Hmm? Oh, you remember all that discussion of Chi and stuff we went through when I learnt the Hiryu Shouten Ha? Well it seems Ukyo has a pretty strong aura, and every now and then she can use it in battle. It's not a conscious thing, just a lash out thing, but it's fairly powerful."

"I noticed, Kuno looked pretty beat up." Ukyo smiled. "If she can learn to harness that, she'll be very dangerous."

Ranma smiled a predatory grin. "We're working on it. Hey, Akane and I think we might be able to tap our own reserves." A yawn took him. "Jeez, I'm tired. I think I'm ready to join Akane in bed after all. Can you let yourself out?" Ukyo nodded in reply. "Okay, G'night."

Shaking her head, Ukyo stood and headed out as Ranma stumbled upstairs. He'd done it again, Ukyo realised, and he hadn't even thought about it. Five years had erased much of his insensitive streak, but it still raised its ugly head, causing him to make comments that struck at the hearts of others. Still, his bluntness was something that she loved about him, she always had, and probably always would. Tears started in her eyes and she blinked them away.

When she had first arrived in Nerima vengeance had ruled her life. The words of her childhood friends had still rung in her ears, taunting her about her rejection at the hands of Ranma and his father. Ten years hadn't deadened those voices, and her hatred had grown into a blazing inferno. It had never been about honour, just humiliation and revenge. But a single sentence had doused those fires.

'May I introduce my cute fiancee.' Ranma's story, combined with that one simple sentence, said totally without thought, had shown her that he had never rejected her. Hope for the love she thought had been stolen from her returned, and she joined the merry chase for Ranma's affections.

She had been so sure of herself, Ranma was constantly rejecting Shampoo, and Akane's violent nature seemed to eliminate her permanently. His continued refusals seemed born of his honour to the agreement between his father and the Tendos. Of course her own betrothal was just as valid, but she was a little surer in her place.

But deep in the night when dreams escaped her, a quiet voice pointed out the flippant way Ranma had said that phrase she cherished so much. It was almost as if he'd said it to get Akane mad. That had never made sense, and every night she wrestled with the concept until sleep took her. In light of day that voice had been silent, brushed aside by the competition. But now... now it's doomsaying had come true.

What was left for her now? She could reject him and run away from the only friend she had, returning once more to the life she had lead before her arrival in Nerima. She could demand he honour the agreement made by his worthless father, forcing him either into marriage or asking him to restore their honour somehow. Or she could let it go, accept the offered hand of friendship and maybe, just maybe, become a member of his family that way.

There were too many consequences and too much pain, Ukyo couldn't decide. Her instincts said run, but her memories of her training for revenge were hardly fond. Honour was important, both to Ranma and her, but was a loveless marriage what she wanted? And was friendship enough?

Without thinking she fiddled with the lock to her restaurant, and opened the door. She looked about her, and realised that while deep in thought and self-pity she had managed to walk all the way from the Tendo's back home without noticing.

"Well, I hope I closed the door when I left," she commented, then shut her own, never noticing the figure watching her.

*****

It was a dream, complete with the blurred vision at the edges. He'd never dreamt so vividly, in fact it was more like a memory. Very much like a memory.

He stood at the end of large hall. Like a long lawn, a lush green carpet stretched before him between rows of people. All wore a variety of uniforms, carefully brushed and sharp, showing none of the battle-wear that he expected. Medals and spats sparkled in the summer sun that streamed through the massive windows that filled the walls.

Looking up he saw a sea of green ivy strung between the soaring rafters. Amongst the leaves, like pearls in the rough, sat the white berries of the vines, making a stark contrast.

Ranma turned and looked down to his side. He knew, surer than anything, that standing there clad in a long green dress, her head covered by a hood, was the woman he loved. Akane.

The crowd watched them, their eyes never moving from the pair as they strode purposefully but slowly up the aisle. Smiles graced the faces of friends and allies, people he had come to know over the months of battle and those that were nothing but names. All were happy for the pair, no jealousy, no weeping, and thankfully, little chance for interruption.

At the end of the aisle waited Sela, a priestess who's words and wisdom were considered second only to the goddess' herself. Graceful was the only way to describe her, for that was how she had done everything, including grow old. And now she waited for them, a pair that was not a part of her religion, who did not even come from her world.

They reached the end of the carpet and stopped before the venerable lady. She smiled, nodded to them and started speaking. She spoke of friendship and love, of great deeds and family. Her words rolled over the crowd, but Ranma barely heard them. Instead all he could hear was his beating heart.

Finally Sela looked down at them, smiling and asked the fateful question. "Do you, Ranma Saotome and Akane Tendo, agree to this eternal bond of love?"

Knowing what to do the pair turned and their gazes met. Ranma took in the view. Her face was graced by one of her cutest smiles and her deep brown eyes shined with love. She still wore her hair short, as much out of need as preference.

Together the two Japanese teenagers answered. "I do."

*****

Ranma awoke suddenly. A slow warmth spread through him as the memory of the dream started to blur. His wedding was one of the happiest days of his life. Only one thing would have made it better, but that had been impossible, an untraverseable gulf had lay between them and their families. Well, then it had been impossible to cross.

Quietly he rolled over and gazed at the woman lying next to him. She was peaceful, no longer sleeping as violently as she had years before. That smile, the same one from his dream, and their wedding, was on her face. He wondered momentarily what images were dancing through her mind.

Sitting up he looked about the room. Only meters from them, on another futon, lay his daughter. It seemed she had recovered well, certainly she had fallen into a silent sleep. Hopefully her dreams were also as peaceful as his and her mother's.

The only other member of their little family lay peaceful and perhaps totally oblivious to his families' strife. 'Or perhaps not so oblivious,' Ranma thought, remembering his crying earlier.

A gentle smile crept across the martial artist's face. Perfect moments like these were hard to find, unless you were very, very lucky.


	5. Chapter 5

Returning Home

Chapter 5

By David Farr

Ranma 1/2 is copyrighted by Rumiko Takahashi/Shogakukan,Inc and is used here respectfully for the purposes of fanfiction. This story may be redistributed only if unchanged and no fee is charged.

*****

Kasumi looked out across the backyard. Adventure had become part and parcel of life about the Tendo house since the arrival of a certain girl and her pet panda. Often it had seemed that not a day would go by without a fiancee showing up, or a martial artist appearing to fight Ranma. Insanity and confusion followed the young man, and when he vanished, peace had descended on them like a suffocating blanket.

A sparring match above the Koi pond seemed both normal and comforting now. Father and son circled the body of water, watching each other. Moments later they launched themselves into the air, meeting in a clash of flying fists and sweeping kicks. Or at least that was what she expected.

Ranma's leap was not directly at his father. Instead he shot up a little further. In mid air he flipped over, planting his hands on his father's shoulders. Realising what his son was doing Genma twisted, but Ranma had already shoved downwards, sending himself vaulting away from the pond. He landed comfortably as Genma transformed amidst a fountain of water.

"What's the matter, Pop," he said, turning to grin at his father, "didja really think I wouldn't learn something in five years?" A wave of water flew out of the pond, soaking the youth.

"Aw jeez, what did you do that for?" Ranma exclaimed.

"Ranma!" Akane's voice grabbed the attention of everyone in the backyard.

"Yeah, what?" The young man looked up at the second floor balcony on which she stood.

"Is Ukyo down there with you?"

Ranma looked about, unconsciously checking for her. "Nah, she was still in bed when I got up."

"Well, could you look for her down there, I'll check up here. We don't want a repeat of last night."

*****

The hardest part had been sneaking out of the house. Her parents rarely relaxed their guard, but she had found a time, after her father had gone out and before her mother's sleep had lightened, when she could sneak out. Sure enough, not even little Ryoga had noticed her.

Next she had needed to find Furinkan High. She did not exactly have a lot of options. Possibly she could wander around like her uncle Ryoga had in her father's tales, but she was smarter than that. She could recognise the Furnikan High uniform, having seen her aunt Nabiki wearing it, so that she could find a student who was heading in early.

It did not take long to find someone, lots of students headed in early to get seats to watch the latest episode of their favourite drama played out in the courtyard. Shadowing her chosen guide, Ukyo snuck along the rooftops until she reached the schoolyard. Quickly she leaped down, blurring across the grass and up into a tree.

Nestled there, she waited and thought back on the events of the night before.

She had been practising in the dojo, a series of feints that lead into a kata her father had designed for her. It was peaceful, and safe. Never before had there been a time when she was alone. Even in worlds where they had felt safe, her parents had always watched over her. But this was not just any world, this was home.

She had not even sensed him. He had just appeared behind her and wrapped her arms about her. In that instant she knew fear. All those warnings of her parents, about things they'd seen and fought, things she couldn't hope to defeat, flooded through her mind. Fear built in her, uncontrolled and rampant. But she had not shown it, forcing herself not to shiver in his arms. She did not even notice the glow, did not feel the explosion.

Then her mother had shattered the door. Relief had flooded her and she threw herself at her mother.

Sitting in the tree she did not notice herself starting to glow again. This time it was not due to fear. She did however notice HIM.

He was crossing the schoolyard towards Nabiki. The middle Tendo daughter seemed to be expecting him, but the little girl hidden in the tree didn't pay attention to that. All she knew was that she could not let him hurt another member of her family.

Time seemed to slow as her vision narrowed. She did not see the shifting leaves as they brushed against her, or the yard full of students that she shot across. As her spear stretched outwards she saw him react, half turning and pulling back.

When Kuno had come out to face Nabiki he had not expected to be attacked, and certainly not by a blue fireball screaming in a high pitched voice. Never-the-less his reflexes did not fail him, forcing into a backwards leap. His feet had barely left the ground when his attacker had shot through the space he had just occupied.

A soft explosion accompanied the impact and Chibi-Ukyo spun, her spear held ready to attack again. She did not notice her Aunt back-pedalling out of the fight or the crowd she was drawing.

Kuno did the worst thing he possibly could, he threw his arms wide and hurried towards the small red-haired girl, intending to wrap her in his embrace. "My pig-tailed--UFF!"

The butt of Chibi-Ukyo's spear crashed deep into the samurai's stomach, bending him in two. In a quick manoeuvre she spun the spear, its tip slicing open his top and leaving gouges on his bare chest and the butt slamming into his ribs. Next she expertly moved the still spinning weapon so that it impacted on the underside of his chin, hooking him and sending him flying over her.

Kuno crashed to the ground. He hadn't expected the blows from the youthened pig-tailed-girl (who was now missing the pig-tail), and he had been wide open for them. Groaning he rolled over and stared at the still blazing girl.

"I... forgive... you..." he moaned. "That wretch... Saotome..."

Chibi-Ukyo's aura brightened as she drew back her arm. "Don't you dare speak of my father!" The glow about her flashed and flowed up her body, over her arm and into the spear. "NOW YOU PAY!"

"UKYO, STOP!"

The command had come from two different directions. Two very commanding female voices had yelled the words, two voices she couldn't help but listen too, simply because of the disapproving tone.

She looked up, her aura guttering out like a flame without air. Two of the students stood not far away, both had hands on hips and both glared at her; the expressions of disapproval mirroring the command they'd given.

"Auntie Nabiki. Auntie Ukyo." Chibi-Ukyo gulped, the only way it could be worse was if it had been her parents.

Nabiki stalked forward, continuing to glare at the little girl as she moved to tower over her. "What do you think you are doing?!" she demanded. "Did your parents teach you to KILL?!"

Chibi-Ukyo did what any child would do when facing a scolding. She looked down at her feet and let her voice drop low. "No."

"Look at me!" the elder Ukyo snapped, stepping up. The child's head popped up to look fearfully into the face of her namesake. "Do you think they'd be happy?!"

Tears started welling in the little girl's eyes. "No."

"UKYO!!" The shout interrupted the scolding, and the assembled students recognised it immediately.

"Over here Ran-chan!" the elder Ukyo called.

Moments later Ranma, in female form, arced over the heads of the crowd and landed gracefully within the arena. She paused only for a moment before crossing to the group. The crowd surrounding them started to mutter. Her eyes darted about resting momentarily on the battered Kuno then moving to his daughter.

"What happened?" she demanded, looking between Nabiki and the two Ukyos.

"The little savage decided to take Kuno out before he could attack her again," Nabiki offered, shrugging.

Ranma looked down at the little girl, who was siddling from one foot to another and trying not to look in him in the eyes. "Is this true?"

She looked up and reluctantly nodded. "Sorry, daddy." Her voice was barely above a whisper.

The muttering of the crowd intruded upon Ranma's awareness and she glanced about, frowning. "I think we'd better drag Kuno to the infirmary and discuss this in private, little lady."

It suddenly occurred to a lot of people that the late bell was about to ring and the schoolyard emptied very quickly. Sighing, Ranma picked up Kuno, who had slipped into unconsciousness and followed Nabiki and the Ukyos into the building.

*****

The purple haired girl paced across the room up to the withered old woman. It was only the second day they'd been renting the room and Cologne was already wishing she'd had enough money to get separate rooms. Shampoo hadn't stopped pacing since she'd confirmed the good news.

"/If you want, I could send you airmail again,/" the amazon matriarch offered, watching as the girl spun and paced away again.

"/I would prefer to arrive as a girl. Ranma was not pleased when I showed up as a cat that first time./" Shampoo had gotten back into the habit of speaking Mandarin.

Cologne chuckled to herself. The Cat-fist had been a major surprise. She would never have believed anyone would be stupid enough to teach him that, but she hadn't met Genma then. "/It takes time to secure transport if you are unable to legally enter a country. We could easily skip a transport today, but if we spend a little time now, we might find a quicker way./"

Shampoo nodded at her great-grandmother's wisdom. "/I just don't feel right leaving my husband in the hands of that violent tomboy or my spatula throwing rival./"

"/Patience, great-granddaughter. Sometimes you must wait in order to win a battle./"

*****

Awakening to pain was not a novel experience for Kuno. More often than he cared to admit he had fallen unconscious in battle and recovered to find numerous bruises and aches still marking his body. It was a testament to his strength that he continued his fighting with such wounds.

The ceiling of the school's infirmary was also a familiar sight. He lay for a few seconds, wondering who had dragged him here this time and if Sasuke would manage to get the grass stains out of his robes. Finally, withholding the moans of pain he felt were necessary, he sat up and looked around.

The first of the unusual sights greeted him. In the chair next to his bed sat the foul Ranma Saotome, and apparently he was reading a thick book. Kuno recognised the book immediately, it was his volume of the works of William Shakespeare.

"Wretch, why art thou disgracing that work of genius?" The noble upperclassman demanded.

Ranma looked up, slight irritation clouding his face. "You were out for so long that I got bored. I didn't think you'd mind me doing a little reading."

"You would have me believe that an uncouth cur such as yourself can not only read English but enjoys the Bard himself?"

"Haven't had a lot of chance to read since I learnt the language, but I must say, he has a good dramatic flair." He lent forward and placed the book on the edge of the bed. "I can see why you talk like him."

Kuno shifted feeling for his bokken. He didn't find it. "I find it hard to believe you awaited my recovery to critique the work of an English playwright."

"You're right, of course. Look Kuno, we have to talk about you chasing Akane and Ukyo. There's lots of things you don't understand." Ranma sat back and stared at the man in the bed. For the first time Kuno saw not an arrogant boy, but a serious man who did not seek violence.

"I have never sought after Ukyo, for she has never interested me."

A scowl passed over Ranma's face, then realisation. He laughed much to Kuno's irritation. "No, not Ukyo Kounji, I meant my daughter, Ukyo." He silenced Kuno by holding up his hand. "Let me explain, first about your pig-tailed-girl, then about Akane, Ukyo and me. All I ask is that you listen, nothing more."

"I doubt you can say anything I wish to hear, but I will give you the chance to waste your energies."

Ranma rolled his eyes in exasperation. "Okay, first there is no pig-tailed-girl, she's just the result of a curse placed on me."

"That I do not believe!"

Ranma shrugged. "It's the truth. Whenever I get splashed with water I become female. I can use hot water to change back, but its only temporary."

"If what you say is true, then why did you, in the guise of the pig-tailed-girl lead me on?" Kuno inquired indignantly. "I remember many times when she expressed her love for me."

Shaking his head Ranma sighed. "Yeah, I'm not exactly proud of that Kuno. Think about it, did she, I mean I, ever do that without wanting something? Like when your father showed up and put that map to the excuse note on the back of your head."

Kuno thought back, Ranma was right, he could not remember an occasion when the pig-tailed-girl had not wanted something from him. Still that was not proof of his words. "May I see this miracle curse?"

"Sure, just wait a sec while I get a couple of glasses of water." He was up, out of his chair and vanished through the curtain that separated the bed from the rest of the room. Kuno waited impatiently for a few minutes then Ranma returned carrying a glass of water and a steaming kettle.

"Right, I've done this a couple times in front of you before, and you've always managed to miss it somehow, so pay attention." He doused himself with the cold water and felt the change wash over him.

Kuno took it badly. Watching his hated rival transform into the one of the women he loved struck at his heart. All the missed hints, the ignored incidents, how could he have obsessed so over, over, a fiction?! Even more, the attempts to tell him the truth (not helped by Nabiki's inflammatory comments), all the rejections at the hand of pig-tailed-girl, how could he have ignored all of that. What kind of man hounded another so?

"I have been a fool," Kuno muttered. He looked at the girl warily watching him, and was struck by the sickening thought that the she that he desired was in fact a he. Then he realised that the reverse must have been at least as sickening. "We have each given the other much pain."

Ranma nodded and reached out for the hot kettle. "Yeah, but I haven't finished with my news yet." He doused himself, changing back, the change bringing another twist to Kuno's gut. "Nabiki's been running a misinformation campaign since Akane and I got back, trying to confuse people so we don't have to deal with everything at once. After last night we all realised that is only gonna make things worse."

"My supposed attack on the child," Kuno surmised.

"Right, so I think you should know the truth. Anyway, you know the kinda things that happen to Akane and me, you've been involved in a few of them. Well we got hit again and we lived five years while you all've been searching for us. During that time we finally admitted our love to each other and got married. Before we got back we had two children, Ukyo who takes after my girl side, and Ryoga, who takes after Akane." He smiled, and Kuno saw love in that expression, a love he could not deny.

"I am not sure if I believe you," he commented, doubt on his face and in his voice. It was mostly a lie, but he sought to hide it even from himself.

Ranma gave a small shrug. "Well, it's what happened. You can ask Akane if you want. Just try approaching her without throwing insults, it helps keep her temper in check."

"I will do as you suggest, for no other reason than I do not wish to continue the folly of acting with out knowing all. Certainly I will not trust the information gathering services of Nabiki."

Ranma smiled and breathed out a little laugh. "She does have a habit of twisting things to benefit herself, doesn't she?" He frowned, becoming serious again. "Just stay away from Ukyo for a little while, I doubt she's gonna be happy to see you."

"She is an able fighter, especially for one so young. You taught her well." Kuno couldn't help but offer that compliment to his ex-rival, there was too much truth behind it.

Ranma's nod was reluctant and held a hint of sadness. "We had no choice, getting home wasn't easy. Peace and safety haven't been constants in her life up to now."

"I understand. Tell me Saotome, will you be making your..." he seemed to have trouble saying the next word, "marriage to the fair Akane Tendo official in this world?"

"Yes, I'm sure you'll get an invitation." A grin broke onto Ranma's face. "Although it would be fairly dishonourable to disrupt it."

Kuno gave a bark of laughter. "Honour is not something we two should be discussing! We have not treated each other with much!"

Ranma nodded, and turned away, heading for the curtain. "I think we should try starting again, Upperclassman." He swept the curtain aside and paused. "Oh, and one piece of advice, I find that women prefer to be wooed, not beaten up." He vanished behind the curtain and the click of door moments later told Kuno he was gone.

Kuno waited, listening. Once he was sure he was alone, he allowed a single tear to roll down his cheek for the loss of love.

*****

The little girl at his side was quiet, watching the stones skittering away as she kicked them down the street. Her hands were clasped behind her and her shoulders were slumped. Normally she would have been bouncing around, staring at the trees, perching on fences to gaze into yards and generally taking in the sights. It bothered Ranma that his daughter was acting so subdued.

"Why did you do it?" Ramna asked.

"'Cause I didn't like him," the girl pouted.

Spinning around Ranma stood before his daughter and glared at her. "Is that any reason to try to kill someone?!"

"You beat people up all the time!" Chibi-Ukyo objected, glaring up at her.

Ranma sighed and shook his head. He guessed that this was just the first of many problems they'd be facing with his daughter's upbringing. "Darling, when your mother and I fight someone we try to knock them out or scare them away. Killing someone is a major act. There's no way to make it up to them afterwards if you find out it was a mistake, they're dead and there's no way of coming back." He knelt down and caught her gaze. "Do you remember Sammy?"

Chibi-Ukyo winced at the name. When she was little they had stopped for a while on a world where the dominant life form were a cute furry race. While they had problems dealing with the adults, Ukyo and a bunch of kids had started playing games. The Saotome's had settled down for a while, hoping to give her some quality time. Unfortunately an earthquake had struck and Ukyo's best friend had died.

"It was very painful when he died, wasn't it?" Ranma watched as tears welled up in his daughter's eyes. "Would you want to be responsible for making someone else face that kind of pain?" He held her, stroking her hair. "Killing should be the last option you think of, no matter what."

"Yes, Daddy," Chibi-Ukyo murmured.

"Good. So long as you learn that lesson, then some good has come of this mess." He stood and turned away once more. "Now all we have to do is weather your mother's anger."

*****

"SHE DID WHAT?!"

Kasumi pulled up short as Ranma was blown out the door by Akane's scream. The eldest Tendo sister pushed shut the sliding door, muffling the continuing berating. A slight chuckle escaped as she watched the two fathers slip off.

"She has grown more vocal," Kasumi observed, kneeling beside the dazed martial artist.

Ranma propped himself up on one elbow and clutched the side of his head. "Yeah, but it's less painful than being malleted."

Kasumi spared the closed door a glance. "Will Ukyo be alright?"

"She and I have already had a quiet talk about what she did wrong, but I guess she wouldn't feel right if she didn't get a scolding from hurricane Akane." He managed a half shrug. "She might think her mother doesn't care anymore."

"She loves her, and her anger is just a facet of that," Kasumi surmised.

"Yeah, Akane's like that, makes her kinda cute," Ranma turned to look at the door behind which his wife was still yelling at their daughter.

"RANMA! GET IN HERE!" Akane's yell caused Ranma to wince visibly.

"Oops, missed my cue." Ranma leapt to his feet as Kasumi pulled back. "This thing's got a rhythm, and I just spoiled it." He slipped open the door and stormed in, slamming it shut behind him.

Kasumi nodded, knowing at last that Akane and Ranma would make good parents.


	6. Chapter 6

Returning Home

Chapter 6

By David Farr

Ranma 1/2 is copyrighted by Rumiko Takahashi/Shogakukan,Inc and is used here respectfully for the purposes of fanfiction. This story may be redistributed only if unchanged and no fee is charged.

*****

Ranma looked at the two piles of paper. One was Akane's and the other was his and both were covered with writing. It was their homework, and it was all finished. Three months worth of catch up, it was a lot to do in less than a week, but as they'd proven so many times before, if they worked together, anything was possible. Of course now they had to figure out how to get two stacks of paper that towered over them all the way to school.

"So, any thoughts?" Akane asked, looking at him. She was already dressed in her school uniform. Thankfully that still fit her, despite her maturing.

"We could ask Nabiki to help," he suggested. They shared a gaze and quickly dismissed the idea. "Well, we could take some of it in today and promise the rest for tomorrow."

Akane nodded. "Sounds best, but I think I'll go down and ask Kasumi if she has any spare bags."

"We could use the pack." Ranma inclined his head at the black backpack that rested on the desk they'd moved from Akane's room.

"You know how hard it is to find things in there. We always pull out the strangest objects and I don't feel like explaining how we managed to get a ten foot pole in a three foot bag."

"Right," Ranma agreed slowly, wondering if anyone would comment on that kind of strangeness around them. "Well if you do that, I'll start sorting out what we'll take today."

Twenty minutes later the pair stood in the front yard, holding a collection of plastic bags full of paper. For anyone else it would have been a load, but both easily slung the bags over their shoulders.

Chibi-Ukyo stood between her grandfathers watching them sadly. Her spear was clutched tightly in her hand like a safety blanket, perhaps her only comfort in this situation. On Soun's other side Kasumi stood holding little Ryoga.

Akane smiled at her daughter. "Now you be a good girl for your Grandfathers and Aunt. They'll look after you just like we would."

"Yes, Mummy," Chibi-Ukyo murmured.

"And if Pops decides to engage you to anyone you have my permission to thrash him," Ranma added.

Chibi-Ukyo grinned, then glared up at Genma. "Yes, Daddy."

"Hey Pops, if you feel up to it, would you mind doing a little bare handed sparing with Ukyo?" Ranma inquired. "I haven't had a lot of time in the last week."

The old man puffed up with pride. "Of course boy, it'd be my pleasure."

"Don't beat you grandfather too badly Ukyo," Akane added.

Chibi-Ukyo started waving, tears welling in her eyes, as her parents turned and walked over to the gate. Ranma reached out and pulled it open, waiting until Akane had stepped through before following.

As soon as everyone was sure they had gone Soun looked down at the girl beside him. "So Ukyo, shall we get back to planning you parents' wedding?"

"YEAH!" the little girl cried, stabbing at the air. She grabbed the hands of the two older men and dragged them back into the house.

As Kasumi turned, gently rocking the baby, Nabiki emerged, swinging her bag. "Hey Kasumi, better get Ranma and Akane moving, or else they'll be late for their first day."

"They've already left," Kasumi replied off-handedly. "And don't lie on the ground like that, you'll soil your uniform."

*****

"Hey! Wait up you two!" Nabiki called, running up behind Ranma and Akane. She looked at them, weighed down by the large bags of paper. "Some knew kind of weight training?"

"Very funny," Ranma shot back. "Nah, this is some of our homework."

"Some?" Nabiki thought back to the massive pile of paper that she had almost had to carry home. "I can see that." She shook her head. "Thanks for not asking me to carry some."

"You're welcome," Akane replied, with a smile.

"Yeah, we know you aren't very strong, little sister," Ranma quipped.

"Hey!" Nabiki paused. "I think I'll take that as a compliment. Means I'm not as macho as Akane." She grinned, and got the expected snorts of laughter from the pair. "Actually, I'm glad you two got out early, it gives us the chance to talk away from the house."

"What about?" the others chorused.

"Yesterday, after school, I went to see Maiko Anzai, she's a lawyer who specialises in family law," Nabiki replied. "I talked to her about your little problem with Ukyo. She was a little sceptical, but I think what she had heard from Arokawa-sensei convinced there was at least a little validity in my story. We talked for a while, but she really wants to meet the two of you and Ukyo."

"Then we'll have to see her, I suppose," Akane replied.

"We can call her and make an appointment when we get back from school." She paused, looking up at the sky. "She did say one thing that disturbed me a little." The other two peered at her in interest. "She asked me who was looking after the kids, and when I told her, she wondered if that was fair to Kasumi."

Ranma glanced guiltily at his wife, who returned the look. "We've been thinking about that too," he admitted. "I think it's best, for both Ukyo and Kasumi, if we put Ukyo into a kindergarten. It means Ukyo gets to be around kids her age, you know, make some friends."

Nabiki nodded. "That would be best." Then she grinned. "But where are you going to find a kindergarten that'll look after your little terror?"

"You're kidding, right? This is Nerima. I'm sure we can find a practitioner of marital arts nursery school teaching."

*****

"You should have seen their faces." Ranma laughed. "Not a one of them had thought about how much marking they'd be doing when we handed it in."

Ukyo giggled as they and Akane walked down the steps from the school building. She was, as usual, wearing a smart boy's uniform and carrying her spatula strapped to her back. "So that's why we haven't had any homework so far today."

"Just wait until tomorrow," Akane was grinning, "when we bring in the rest of the work."

"Hmm, why do I get the feeling we'll be having relievers for a week or two?" Ukyo inquired, looking innocently into space.

Students were scattered about the schoolyard eating lunch. The trio's arrival had, unfortunately, not gone unnoticed. A few of the more prudent students were taking secretive glances, but most were just staring. A peaceful lunch seemed unlikely, even if nothing untoward happened.

"Nihao Airen!" Ranma was bowled over by an over energetic bear hug. He sighed when he realised that one of his greatest trials had just turned up, in the form of an ardent amazon.

"Hello, Shampoo," he groaned. Five years hadn't dulled his memories of her. That cute smile, the purple ponytails and of course how could he forget the vice-like grip. There was only one difference, Akane was watching and he didn't have either a headache or a cat clawing him.

"Is that any way to greet your wife, son-in-law?" an ancient voice inquired. They all turned to see Cologne balanced not far away on her staff.

That set Akane off. "WIFE?" She stormed up to the old woman as Ranma leapt effortlessly out of Shampoo's embrace.

"Do you have a problem with that?" The old ghoul asked calmly.

"YES! I'M his wife!" Akane stabbed her finger at her chest.

There was a long silence broken only by the wind in the trees. Shampoo and Cologne stared at Akane, who glared defiantly back. Ranma stood looking smug and Ukyo wondered when the crowd of students had surrounded them. Everyone was hanging on every word of the drama playing out before them. It had to one of the most interesting things that happened in Nerima recently.

"When did this happen?" Cologne demanded, peering at the girl through slitted eyes. She turned to Ranma. "Son-in-law?"

Ranma shrugged. "About five years ago, give or take a couple of months."

"Has Airen gone crazy? He no gone for five years."

Cologne frowned in thought for a moment. "Time travel, son-in-law?"

"Something similar." He paused, then glowered at the old woman. "And stop calling me that!"

"Not until I am certain that her claim is valid." Cologne replied calmly. "I will remind you that you married Shampoo first, and thus it takes precedence over any claim Akane has. Unless, of course, she has some very convincing reasons."

"How about two children?!" Akane sneered, stepping up to the amazon matriarch, hands on hips. Her words started excited chatter amongst their audience.

"Aw, great Akane, why don't ya just yell it to the whole world?!" Ranma groaned, slapping his forehead. "We were planning to let that information ease out!" He listened for a moment to the discussions, then spun and glared at a portion of the circle. "Who said that?!"

The students of Nerima had long since learnt the danger signs and even three months of peace could not erase that instinct. It took only moments for them to flee, leaving Nabiki and Kuno standing in the empty schoolyard. The pair shared a shrug and strode off in separate directions.

Cologne bounced over to Ranma and locked eyes with him. "You have had children, with her." She nodded to Akane. "Was this all your choice?"

Ranma answered her gaze with his own hard glare. "No. It was ours."

His eyes had already told Cologne what she needed to know. The flair of anger at having his love questioned, followed by a wash of steel as he calmed himself. That alone convinced her of what this normally arrogant youth said. That and the fact he hadn't once called her an old ghoul.

"I understand. Good luck in your life together then, Ranma, Akane."

"NO!" Everyone's heads snapped around to stare at Shampoo. Her face was contorted in anger and her raised hands were balled in to fists. "Shampoo did not come to this country, put up with offensive Japanese or learn horrible language to simply give up! Shampoo will have RANMA!" She spun and dashed away, vanishing over the outer wall.

The four stood in the wake of her leaving, gazing after her. Akane moved up next to Ranma, who unconsciously slipped his arm about her shoulders. Cologne noticed this out of the corner of her eye, and realised how little chance her great-granddaughter had.

"Wow, that was dramatic," Ukyo murmured.

Ranma's cold stare was turned on the old woman balancing atop her staff. "Rein her in Cologne."

She turned to regard him from the corner of her eye. "And why should I do that?"

"Same reason you've been doing everything, for the good of the tribe. If she does something to Akane or our children, then I will start a blood feud, and you will regret it." His voice held tones she'd never heard from him before, a seriousness she hadn't expected.

"The same goes for me Cologne," Akane added. "And for our daughter."

They turned, Ranma's arm still wrapped about Akane and walked slowly back towards the school building. Those left in the schoolyard stood silent for a while, watching the pair until the doors closed them in.

"What of you?" Cologne asked suddenly.

Ukyo jumped, thinking she had been forgotten. "Me? What about me?"

"You have a claim on Ranma, what are you going to do about it?"

"I... haven't decided yet," she admitted. "I do know that coming between Ranma and Akane is only going to cause trouble." She stared down at her feet. "The most I'll ever get out him is friendship."

"With Ranma, friendship means a lot." Cologne turned and pogoed away on her staff.

*****

Unlike Ucchan's, the Nekohanten had not closed down during the search for Ranma. Instead Shampoo's father, a man who was actually glad to be away from China and his wife's people, was running the business. For him, all that meant was that he was making a few more decisions and doing more of the cooking, even when the women were about he ended up looking after most of the details.

His marriage to his late wife, something he had gained because of his business knowledge, not fighting skills, had been a happy affair. She had always acknowledged that he understood some things she did not, unlike her grandmother. Her death, an unfortunate accident, had left him with little desire to remain in the village, so coming on this voyage had been a godsend. And being left alone was just too delightful.

So he had greeted Cologne's return with only the respect she deserved, a respect she had not returned. They had only spent enough time to unpack before heading out to talk to the boy Shampoo had set her sights on. That meant he had just a little longer to himself, working in his small room.

"So, how is the business?"

Apparently not very long. He looked up from the accounting books to find the old woman hovering over him on her staff. "Everything has gone well, honoured elder. With the recent peace more people have been eating out and our profits have increased."

Cologne's eyebrow twitched, she once wondered what her granddaughter had seen in this man, and why she had taken him as a husband instead of a strong fighter. But when they had arrived in Japan he had proven his worth. "Good, good. Don't start planning anything big, we may return home soon." She ignored the disappointment he unsuccessfully tried to hide.

"Did things go badly with Shampoo's young man?" he inquired, slightly worried.

Warily Cologne nodded. "Yes, he has matured much while he was gone and finally made his decision. There is much steel in him now, it is unlikely he will bend to my manipulations anymore."

"And his steel has formed an alloy with one of Shampoo's rivals. The Tendo girl I'm guessing."

Cologne shot a glare at the man. "You are much smarter than you let on," she commented. "But that is a good analogy."

"How did Shampoo take it?" There was worry in his voice, and he peered about, looking for his daughter.

"Not well. She has yet to learn when a battle is no longer worth fighting. This can only lead to trouble."

"Ah." He paused to look at the amazon elder, who suddenly looked all of the century she claimed. "And you blame yourself."

Once more Cologne glared at him, but her gaze quickly softened. "I liked you better when you pretended to be stupid."

Shampoo's father joined his hands together and bowed again. "Thank you honoured elder."

A slight chuckle escaped Cologne and she shook her head. "Have we heard from Mousse?"

"Yes honoured elder. I received a call from a friend at the animal hospital. Someone brought in a badly beaten duck wearing a pair of cracked glasses. He's recovering, they'll call me when he's ready to be let go."

Cologne bounced past him. "Good." She paused at the door. "Tell me, have you made friends at all the animal hospitals?"

He adjusted his glassed and for a moment considered not telling her the truth. "I was always scared that something would happen to Shampoo in that cursed form of her's. It seemed like a good idea at the time."

"Now I understand." Her words lingered after she vanished.

*****

The gates to the Tendo household creaked open, allowing entrance to the arguing pair. A quiet discussion about Shampoo on the way home had, as usual, degenerated into an argument. Many of their friends seemed more comfortable to see them arguing like old times, but none realised that it was just their way of communicating.

Both fell silent as they spotted a large panda playing happily with a beach ball on the front lawn. They stared momentarily at him, then shared a glance.

"Okay Pops, what's happening?" Ranma demanded, striding up to his father.

Genma had become so engrossed in his play acting that he hadn't heard them approach. He started, losing control of the ball, which bounced across the yard. Recovering from the surprise he whipped a sign. [You can't go in there!]

"What have you done now, Mr Saotome?!" Akane demanded, looming over him suddenly.

Genma spun the sign. [Me? Nothing!]

"Good, then you don't mind if I go inside." Ranma flickered across to the porch ahead of the panda's grab. "Too slow old man!" he laughed as Akane joined him. "See ya when you decide to stop being a panda."

The two young adults headed inside, not seeing Genma's last sign: [I don't want to die!]

Ignoring his father's behaviour, Ranma kicked off his shoes and joined Akane heading towards the main room. He figured that if anyone could explain his old man, it was Soun, his best friend.

"Hey, Mr Tendo, what's up with..." Ranma slid the dividing door aside and stopped suddenly when he saw a woman sitting at the table, drinking tea with the Tendo patriarch and Kasumi. All three turned to gaze at them as they entered.

He had not seen her before, yet she seemed familiar, somehow, as if he had felt the peaceful, if sad, gaze of those soft brown eyes before. A light smile graced her lips, and she inclined her head towards them. Next to her, leant carefully against the table, was a long cloth wrapped object. The care with which it had been placed told him that whatever it was, and some instinct said a weapon, it was considered very valuable to her.

"Oh, excuse me." He bowed formally to them. "Sorry, I didn't realise we had a guest."

Soun brightened at him. "Ah, Ranma, just who we were talking about."

At that both Ranma and Akane tensed. They had long since learnt to dread conversations starting with that phrase. Typically it meant either a challenge or a fiancee. A hypothesis compounded by the presence of a panda on the front lawn.

Meanwhile Soun had turned to their guest, who seemed to have perked up a little. "Nodoka, may I present my daughter Akane and your son Ranma."

"MOM!" Ranma exclaimed, staring at her in disbelief.

Nodoka Saotome stood, all hints of her sadness gone from her face. She walked over to Ranma and started looking him over. "My boy! Oh how you have grown! Mature, strong, confident, everything a man should be. You remind me of Genma at your age."

"Oh my, what a fall," Kasumi murmured into her cup.

Nodoka turned her attention to Akane, give her the same inspection she had her son. "Your father has told me of your intentions to marry my son. I must say from the tales I've heard you two do seem very well matched."

Ranma grinned. "Well, ya can't believe everything our fathers say about us. They tend to get very excited when it comes to Akane and me."

"Your diction needs some work." Nodoka observed calmly. "I must say I'm glad you are here. Soun wasn't sure if you would return today."

Soun squirmed under the gaze of Ranma and Akane for a moment, before replying. "Saotome said something about going on a training trip with Ranma," he offered.

Out of the corner of his eye Ranma spotted a black and white furred head poking around the edge of the door. Wondering exactly his old man was up to Ranma turned to look at his mother. "Can you think of any reason pop would want to avoid you?" he inquired casually.

Shock blossomed on Soun and Kasumi's face, but Nodoka only looked thoughtful for a second. No one heard the crash from the hallway.

"I suppose if he felt you had not been raised properly," Nodoka mused.

"Huh? Why would that be a problem?" Ranma inquired, blinking in confusion.

"Well, because of the promise."

Storm clouds gathered on Ranma and Akane's faces. "What promise?!" the later demanded, joining the conversation for the first time.

"Genma never told you?" Nodoka seemed truly surprised at the question. "When Ranma and he left they signed a promise that he would raise our son to be a man among men or commit seppuku."

Ranma smiled sickly. "Excuse me, I just remembered I have to go take care of the panda." He leapt to his feet and stalked out, cracking his knuckles in the palm of his hand.

"How could he do that to his own son?" Kasumi wondered, staring after Ranma.

Akane looked at her askance as a loud crash sounded from beyond the door. "Come on sis, you know how easy making promises is for him."

At that point, distracting everyone from the sounds of battle, Chibi-Ukyo skipped in, beaming her smile at everyone. The little red haired girl merrily made her way over to the table. Akane was glad to see Kasumi had finally managed to get her to start wearing cute little girl outfits and stopped her from carrying the spear about.

"Can I have some hot water?" Ukyo asked, looking about the table expectantly.

"Of course dear." Kasumi stood, and started towards the kitchen.

Chibi-Ukyo skipped along behind her. "Thanks, Auntie Kasumi."

Nodoka turned to Soun, confusion written on her face. "Who was that child?"

Soun seemed unable to answer, so Akane jumped in to save him, after a fashion. "She's Ranma and my daughter Mrs Saotome. Her name is Ukyo."

"Daughter? I have a grandchild?" Nodoka's voice sounded distant.

"Grandchildren actually," Akane corrected. "We also have a son, who hopefully is upstairs sleeping." She glared at her father, who paled and nodded.

"Grandchildren." Nodoka sighed, then paused and looked at her. "But how? I mean you're still too young."

Akane sighed, Ranma was right about one thing, they were just going to keep telling that story over and over again. She started explaining about their long detour on the highway of life, and by the time Ranma dragged an unconscious Genma into the room she had a very confused mother-in-law.

"I'm afraid I'll just have to take your word on all of that. It's so unbelievable, but you have no reason to lie to me." Nodoka looked at her son who smiled back and dumped his father on the ground.

"So how much have you told her?" Ranma dropped into place next to Akane, as Soun started tending his old friend.

Akane grinned at him. "Just the basics of the last five years."

"What? You left me the hard parts?" He stared at her with comically exaggerated shock, then grinned to show he was only joking.

"There is more?" Nodoka asked in disbelief, looking between the pair.

Ranma scratched the back of his head, knowing that what was coming could make or break their newly formed relationship. "Well, um, this happened before Pop and I turned up here, and it's probably why he wanted to avoid you. You see he took me to this training ground in China called Jusenkyo. We had this guide, and I remember he did try to warn us, but Pop and I were so overconfident that we didn't listen.

"Jusenkyo is a valley with over a hundred separate springs with poles placed strategically about it. The idea of the training is speed, balance and jumping. Unfortunately the springs of Jusenkyo are cursed, we discovered that when pops fell in one. Over the past couple of thousand years various things have drowned there, and now anyone who falls in takes that body."

"Pops fell into the spring of drowned panda, and I was kind of surprised when a panda jumped out and tackled me. I don't think he realised what had happened, maybe he was just too mad that I'd beaten him. Anyway he knocks me off my pole and I landed with a splash and surface to hear the guide saying that I'd fallen in the Spring of Drowned Girl. Kinda a shock really." Ranma paused, looking at his mother, who was watching him thoughtfully.

She seemed to be taking these things in her stride, as if none of this was unbelievable. Or maybe she had passed beyond incredibility. "Yet you have found a cure, for you are not female. Why would Genma still worry?"

Akane answered before Ranma could. "The curse is such that the transformation is only temporary. You can change someone back with hot water. Unfortunately cold water reactivates the curse, making Genma a panda and Ranma a girl again."

"And my husband felt that I would consider a son who turns into girl could not possibly be a man among men," she guessed. "I see some... validity to his point of view. Certainly if I met you first in this cursed body of yours and had mistaken you for a girl, I would have thought that way. Yet I cannot deny you are a man, apparently despite your father. Facing your fears, responsibilities and duties head on is definitely manly. You have fathered two children." She paused, glaring at them. "I hope you fathered them..."

"Yes," both Ranma and Akane replied, nodding enthusiastically.

"And according to Akane and Soun you have shown your desire to protect your family and those in need even at risk to yourself. I think I can safely call you a--" She was cut off by what sounded like a cross between the squeal of a pig and the cry of a man.

Ranma and Akane reacted as they did to every surprise, together and suddenly. Trailed by Nodoka and Soun they headed out into the yard. Kasumi stood on porch, her hand covering the surprised look on her face as she stared at out the scene before her.

Standing in the centre of the yard, holding a still steaming kettle in one hand, was Ukyo. Before her, busy trying to cover his modesty with his hands was Ryoga, naked except for the bandanna he always wore. Everyone stood staring for a moment as horror dawned on Ryoga's face, then Ukyo giggled cutely, produced a glass of water, and doused him.

P-chan looked at the faces standing not far away. Ranma was looking smug, surprise, surprise. Akane was angry, but showing more restraint than he expected to see. Behind them Akane's father was looking relieved, while supporting some strange woman who was about to faint. Worst of all was Kasumi who had quickly gone from shock to disgust.

There were options available to him, and most of them vanished when the little girl (who looked kind of like the girls Ranma kept pretending to be), swept him up and clutched him in a vice like grip that would have put Azusa to shame. Akane stalked towards him, and he sought the only escape left to him, unconsciousness.


	7. Chapter 7

Returning Home

Chapter 7

By David Farr

Ranma 1/2 is copyrighted by Rumiko Takahashi/Shogakukan,Inc and is used here respectfully for the purposes of fanfiction. This story may be redistributed only if unchanged and no fee is charged.

*****

Akane's shoulders slumped as she saw her cute little pet, really a certain dishonourable, cursed boy, roll up his eyes and pass into the land of oblivion. The anger she felt was old, but time had yet to weaken it, leaving it burning just as brightly in her heart. To think he would not only betray the trust she had twice laid on him, first as a friend, then as a pet, but also he forced Ranma to betray his own fiancee by taking advantage of a warrior's promise.

She knelt before her daughter, who still clutched the unconscious piglet in her arms. "Ukyo honey, you take good care of P-chan, and tell mummy when he wakes up."

The little girl nodded vigorously. "Yes, mummy."

Akane stood and turned away from her. As she walked back towards the surprised group on the porch she heard Chibi-Ukyo call out the piglet's name, then catch something. She glanced over her shoulder to see Chibi-Ukyo toss P-chan in the air again.

Smirking, Akane stepped back onto the porch. "Now, what were we talking about before we were so rudely interrupted?" She asked calmly.

Ranma shivered. "I don't want to be in Ryoga's shoes when he wakes up," he muttered aside to Kasumi and was surprised when he got no response. He turned to find the normally calm girl glaring at the little pig, tiny tremors shaking her clenched fists. "Uh, oh."

"Excuse me," Kasumi hissed from between clenched teeth, "I think I left something on the stove."

A shudder of horror passed through Ranma, this was one family you did not want to get angry. He glanced out at his daughter who was still playing in the yard, tossing the little black piglet into the air. "Ukyo, come inside soon, it looks like it might rain."

"I will daddy, the moment it starts," the little girl returned.

"Just don't go far from the porch, rain hits fast around here." He turned inside again. His mother, wife and father-in-law had already returned to the table, and were sipping tea. Nodoka looked like she needed it.

"Well, that was a bit of excitement," Ranma said, dropping back into place.

"Is Kasumi okay?" Akane asked, glancing up from her cup.

Ranma glanced in the direction of the kitchen, worry on his face. "I think she has a few problems with what she just saw. Someone might want to talk to her about it."

Suddenly Soun found himself the focus of three gazes. Almost reluctantly he nodded. "I shall do it." He stood and paced out of the room.

Left sitting in silence Nodoka glanced over at the slumbering form of her husband. "Ranma, I wish you hadn't knocked him unconscious, it would have been nice to talk to him."

"He's not unconscious." Ranma lifted his cup and took another sip. Out the corner of his eye he noticed his father twitch.

"Why do you say that?" Nodoka inquired.

"What Pop doesn't know is that when he's out, he snores up a storm," Ranma grinned around his cup, then took another sip. Almost immediately the human pile started snoring. He turned to Akane. "And you wondered why I was such a deep sleeper."

A slight growl slipped from Akane's throat. "DAMN IT MR SAOTOME, ACT LIKE A MAN!" she yelled, leaping to her feet and throwing her thankfully empty cup at the man. "All you EVER do is run away! Or go PANDA! For GOD SAKE, GROW UP!" She stormed out the door, leaving Ranma and Nodoka sitting in an oppressive silence broken only by the continued snoring coming from Genma.

Ranma looked at his mother. "Sorry about that. Ryoga is not a good part of our history. He abused Akane's trust, by using his curse to sneak into her room. I was kinda dreading this, and I'm afraid things are just piling up."

"Things?" Nodoka asked.

"Yeah, well, we have to deal with all the girls that Pop and I managed to get engaged to me and one of them blew up at us today. Er, not literally. Then we learn about Pop's promise, and of course Ryoga." He shrugged. "Akane doesn't deal with things well." A crash came from upstairs, echoed moments later from the kitchen. "Ah, I'd better head upstairs before she breaks something important. Like our baby."

Nodoka nodded, and watched as her son hurried out. She sighed and turned to look at her husband. 'Where is the man I married? He was so happy, carefree and strong in his honour. Did that foul old man do this damage?'

When Genma finally cracked his eyes open he found his wife sitting over him in absolute silence, her family's gleaming katana resting in her lap.

*****

Soun, rather cowardly, hovered outside the kitchen door, listening to the sounds of domestic tranquillity inside. The rattling of pots, the sizzle of foods frying, nothing seemed out of place. Except that the cook herself was making no sound.

When the crash of crockery shattering sounded, he knew he had to act. "Kasumi, is everything all right?" He stepped out into the doorway.

His eldest daughter was kneeling on the floor, collecting the pieces of a broken dish. Her head snapped up, her eyes glowing with an anger that pushed Soun back a step. Instinctively his hands went up into a pain ward.

"Oh my. Sorry, father." Kasumi's hand flew to her mouth and she blushed in embarrassment. She looked down at the shards of crockery and went back to collecting them together.

"Kasumi, do you want to talk about it?" He walked over to his daughter and knelt down, helping her to tidy.

"He shouldn't have done it, father," she whispered finally. "It was just so rude, so wrong. Mother would never have let him."

Soun reached out and wrapped his arm about her. "Is that what's bothering you? That you didn't stop it? We treated the boy as we would any guest, and if he abused our hospitality, then the blame is his, not ours."

A single tear rolled down Kasumi's cheek. "But I'm supposed to protect my little sister."

"Ranma wasn't able to stop him, and he did try if you remember. If he failed, what can you hope to do?" Soun smiled. "Besides, Akane is more than capable of looking after herself. Would she have accepted our interference?"

Kasumi looked at him. "No, I suppose not." She paused, then realisation hit her. "FATHER! YOU KNEW!"

*SLAP*

*****

Cradled in his father's arm Chibi-Ryoga slept peacefully, finally calm now that his mother's rage was spent. He had not cried, just been agitated as Akane ranted under Ranma's watchful gaze. She had finally fallen into a weeping storm, now bemoaning the unfairness of it all.

Ranma flipped himself to his feet, gaining a gurgle of delight from Chibi-Ryoga. He slipped across the room and knelt next to her. "Feeling better?"

Akane nodded and looked up at him. Her eyes were red and puffy from crying, and streaks left by tears wound their way down her cheeks. "Oh Ranma, it wasn't supposed be like this. This was meant to be the easy part."

"I know, but we are doing well. We dealt with both Kuno and Ukyo, and we're doing well at school." Ranma's smile started warming her heart.

"But every time we turn around we find more problems. It's like we're still travelling between worlds, waiting for something to go wrong, watching every shadow." She struck the floor with her fist. "I don't want to live like this!"

"It'll get better Akane, it might get a little worse, but things will calm down when everyone learns to accept our marriage." Ranma leaned forward and kissed her on the forehead. "Even Shampoo won't chase me forever."

Akane nodded, a movement that brought her hair flickering into Chibi-Ryoga's field of vision. Playfully he reached out and grabbed a tiny handful of the strands, dragging his mother's head closer.

"Watch it Akane, your son already knows how to boss you around."

The pair laughed while Akane pulled her hair from her son's grasp. Still smiling Akane turned her eyes to look up into her husband's face. Once he'd hidden the love she found there behind a cloak of insults, but now he simply smiled and let the warmth of his eyes express himself.

"Let's take this one downstairs to meet his grandmother," Ranma whispered.

"That sounds like a good idea." Akane returned, smiling.

*****

The dinning room was peaceful, letting the sound of falling rain filter in. Chibi-Ukyo and Nodoka sat opposite each other, their hands out. Both had a single long string woven between their fingers, forming a complex cradle of strands. Chibi-Ukyo was staring at pattern in between her palms, her tongue sticking out the corner of her mouth in concentration.

"Okay darling, now pay attention." Chibi-Ukyo's eyes shot up to gave at her grandmother's hands. "The next step is like this." Nodoka brought her hands thogether, then separated them again, coming out with a more complicated pattern.

Ranma and Akane watched as their daughter attempted to reweave her own string as Nodoka had just demonstrated, but ended up with a nasty knot instead. She sighed, dropped the weave and in a quick series of movements rewove the string.

"Try again, little one. You'll get it, just like the other steps. It only takes practise." Nodoka's tone was motherly and patient, and both Ranma and Akane felt a pang of jealousy.

"Mummy and Daddy always say that too," Chibi-Ukyo quipped as she concentrated on her movements. Carefully she slipped her right index finger under one strand while looping another about her left middle. She smiled as the pattern came out, matching her grandmother's weave.

Nodoka turned to look across at the pair standing at the door. "Well, obviously they managed to learn some wisdom." She smiled quietly at them.

"Despite many people's best efforts," Ranma commented. He still cradled their baby in his arms, using a gentle rocking motion to keep him happy and away from anything he could grab. The pair walked over to the kneeling pair, and lowered themselves next to them, Ranma placing himself next to his mother.

Without watching Nodoka performed the next and final step in her pattern, keeping Chibi-Ukyo's attention. "Is this little one my grandson?" She peered at the bundle in Ranma's arms. "What did you say his name was?"

"We named him Ryoga," Ranma replied, watching as Chibi-Ukyo tried to copy the movements and ended up with something completely different, but no less interesting.

"Ryoga?" Nodoka's tone dropped. "Named after that boy who everyone seemed so disgusted at?"

Ranma slowly nodded. "All the time I've known Ryoga he's only ever done one thing that I couldn't understand. Most of the time he's one of the sweetest guys you'll ever know, honourable, protective and loyal. As obsessive as everyone else I know, but at least he always issued challenges when he decided to have it out with me. Friends are hard to come by on the road, and he was always there when I really needed him." His eyes quested about, at last resting on the unconscious and bound pig. "Hey, where's Pops?"

Her face took on the likeness of a cliff. "He has gone upstairs to pack his bags. We feel that he and I need some private time to discuss all that has gone on." She softened, a smile once more coming to her lips. "But I'm sure we will be back by the time you two return from school tomorrow."

Akane chuckled. "Somehow I think my father would prefer if you could come back a little earlier. We'll be leaving Kasumi and him alone to take care of the children." She smiled down at Chibi-Ukyo as the little girl gave a cry of delight at having finally managed to perform her grandmother's trick.

"Look, Mummy, Daddy," Chibi-Ukyo squeaked, holding up the cat's cradle. "Isn't it good!"

*****

Miserable and alone, a cream and purple cat wandered the through the park. She cursed her luck, the bad drainage on the streets and drivers who did not care if they splashed pedestrians. Most of all she cursed Akane Tendo.

'How could he choose her?' Shampoo demanded silently of herself. 'How? I'm better than Akane. I cook better, I treat him better, I LOVE HIM MORE! Why didn't he chose me?!' She looked about, and realised that she didn't recognise any landmarks. 'Now I'm lost and alone. Even great-grandmother has abandoned me.'

With a gentle pitter-patter a curtain of rain swept across the grass, drenching the cat and her surroundings. Shampoo quickly glanced about, looking for shelter. She spotted a discarded cardboard box resting beneath a park bench, and darted inside.

Shampoo stared out down the alleyway, droplets falling past the flaps of her makeshift hidy-hole. She watched as mist rose off the silvery pavement, concealing the distant buildings and trees. Time passed as she watched the empty park before her, and let the rhythms of the falling rain lull her off into a dream where a strong pair of arms held her in a warm embrace.

Water seeped through the cardboard ceiling, forming a large drop. It hung for moment, then fell, striking the dozing cat below. Shampoo was startled back awake. Shaking her head to clear it, she stared out at the rain once more, angry that her moment of peace had been stolen from her.

'Oh, Ranma, won't you come save me once more. Please.' A single pitiful mew escaped her.

*****

The night was empty. Not peaceful, or quiet, but empty. Even in a desert there were quietly scuttling creatures, seeking food, but this world had none of that. It was a world where time stood still. People, machines, beasts, even the wind, had stopped suddenly between one instant and the next.

And more than anything that scared them.

Night and day continued as the sun and the planets continued their silent dance in mocking tribute to whatever the locals had done to themselves. The three travellers clustered about the crackling fire had no desire to investigate. A day walking the eerie streets, carefully avoiding situations that would end up dangerous if things started up again, had been enough for their nerves. All they wanted now was to leave the nightmare tableau and its oppressive silence.

Akane stared deeply into the fire, remembering the difficulty they'd had simply getting wood. She looked up across the fire at her husband, who appeared jumpier than ever. "How much longer?" her voice, barely more than a whisper, sounded like a shout.

A small block of metal was produced. The maker of this device had made sure that this device would survive anything it's carrier could, even the inset LCDs and buttons on the top couldn't be broken by less than bullet hit direct on. "Charged in two hours," Ranma replied. That was the only problem, it took almost twelve hours before you could use it again.

"Tell me a story," little Chibi-Ukyo begged, hugging her mother's arm.

Ranma cocked his head. "Sounds like a good idea." He looked at Akane. "How about the Charlotte Cup? I don't think she's heard that one."

There was a long pause, filled only by the quietly crackling fire. Akane nodded, and started telling the tale with the first outing to the ice rink. None of the many situations brought more than a slight giggle to any of the trio. Finally Akane described Shampoo's arrival, and ended saying, "but that darling, is a story for another time."

Ranma lifted the portal spawner again. "Still another quarter hour."

"You know, I never did find out what happened to Ryoga when he dove in to save me," Akane mused. She felt little Chibi-Ukyo pull away from her arm and she gazed at down at her.

"But mummy, isn't Ryoga P-chan?" Chibi-Ukyo inquired innocently.

Across the fire Ranma collapsed in surprise. Akane barely noticed, her daughter's comments had added a keystone in a bridge between the scattered clues and the truth. And her mind had just crossed that bridge.

Ranma and P-chan fighting all the time; the insults Ranma had paid to both the pig and boy, the same insults, just with different apparent meaning; and all the presents P-chan came back with from all over Japan. How could she have missed these things? More importantly, how could Ranma not tell her?

"My warrior's promise," Ranma murmured, heading off her question. "I made it before he became your pet." The sorrow in his voice told her of the pain he felt. "I'm sorry Akane, I really am."

"When you told me about it, I never dreamt it was that." Akane stared into the fire again. It's light seemed comforting. "How could he? I thought he was so nice." She could not feel her rage, there was anger, but the silence seemed to force it back into her, keeping her outwardly calm.

"I don't know, you'll have to talk to him when we get back." Ranma sighed. "If we get back."

"What?!" Akane's head shot up. "Ranma, I've never heard you say that!"

"I think it's this place." Ranma looked into the darkness. "It's so depressing. All this wasted time. Reminds me of our first year."

Akane nodded and glanced at the device Ranma held.

Ranma caught the look and read the display again. "Two minutes. We'd better get ready to go. I don't want to stay here a moment more than we have to."

*****

Akane opened her eyes, letting the memory of her discovery fall away again. It was time for Ryoga to face his fate. And pulling a Genma would not work anymore.

She picked up the bound pig and strode purposefully towards the bathroom.

*****

The feeling of hot water and the change coming over him awakened Ryoga. Instantly he felt the sudden choking pressure that came with suddenly having more lung capacity and no air. He shot upwards, breaking the surface, and sending water splashing everywhere.

He looked about, finding himself standing waste deep in the Tendo's furo, and Akane staring at him. Gasping he dropped down, covering himself beneath the water.

"A-Akane!" he squeaked, his voice cracking.

She was smiling sweetly at him, but he still felt uneasy. "I'm sorry, I just got tired of waiting of you to recover on your own." She leant forward. "Now, we are going to talk about wee, little, P-chan."

"Um... can I get dressed?" Ryoga asked quietly.

"And give you a chance to get lost? Get real." She sneered at him. "Tell me Ryoga, what did you hope to get?" Before he could answer she silenced him with a wave. "Forget that. Do you know how... dirty I felt when I found out? I was disgusted at myself for having trusted you and treated Ranma so badly when he tried to stop you!" Her glare pierced him. "And all those accusations you directed at Ranma! You even said he was dishonourable! YOU!"

"A-Akane, I-I'm sorry."

She never heard him. "And do you know how I found out?! It wasn't even Ranma breaking his promise! IT WAS MY DAUGHTER!" She rose above Ryoga, her face going red. "She figured it out before I did! FROM RANMA'S STORIES! I lived them and she managed to figure it out from second hand recounts! DO YOU KNOW WHAT THAT FEELS LIKE?! To have a child turn to you and ask why you didn't figure it out?!"

She stood and sneered down at him. "Well, if you want to be a pet, I'm sure my little daughter would be glad to keep you. After all, she seems to enjoy playing with the curses." Akane spun on her heels and strode out, not looking back at the man.

Ryoga was just pulling himself out of the furo when the door was shoved open, this time by the eldest Tendo daughter. Ryoga fell back beneath the water, peering up at Kasumi. Her normally calm face wore a frown. "Ranma has found some of your clothes. I would suggest that you dress and leave." She slammed the door shut.

Again Ryoga was most of the way out of the furo when the door was shoved open. He fell backwards, sending a wave of water over the edge. "Jeez Ryoga man, don't swamp the bathroom will ya." Ranma hopped across the wet floor and perched on the lip of the bath. "They were kinda rough on you, weren't they?"

"She hates me," Ryoga moaned.

"Nah." Ranma shook his head. "If she hated you I would never have been able to convince her to name our son after you."

"That's nice to know," Ryoga murmured. "YOU WHAT?!" He shot up again. "Son?! DAUGHTER?!"

"AAARGH! I'm going to have to tell it again!" Ranma cried, slapping his forehead.

*****

"Aachoo!" Chibi-Ukyo Saotome brushed the tickling sensation from her nose and went back to staring out at rain.

"I hope your not coming down with something dear," Nodoka commented, placing a caring hand on her forehead.

"I'm fine gran'mama," Chibi-Ukyo chirped. Smiling up at the woman.

"Grandmother," she corrected absently. She certainly didn't have a temperature. "Well then, someone must be talking about you then." She smiled at the child. "Tell me darling, do your parents fight often?"

Chibi-Ukyo turned to look at her grandmother, a smile flashing onto her face. "Yeah, they battle all kinds of monsters."

A slight chuckle escaped from Nodoka. "No darling, that's not what I meant. I mean do they yell at each other or argue."

"Sometimes," Chibi-Ukyo shrugged. "Mummy can get real loud, but Daddy says she's like that 'cause she cares. You can tell 'cause she never yells 'cept when I do really dangerous or stupid things."

"And when they yell at each other?"

The little girl looked thoughtful for a moment. "Daddy will simply stop and watch Mummy for a little while, and then they start talking again."

Genma lumbered into the room, carrying his pack. "Nodoka honey, I'm ready."

Nodding, Nodoka stood. She directed one of her motherly smiles at the child. "Thank you darling. You've been very helpful." She turned and walked to her husband. "Come Genma, I think we have a lot to discuss. And lots of catching up to do."

"RANMA! HOW DARE YOU?!" The shout attracted the attention the entire household. Everyone converged on the sound, just in time to watch Ranma flip backwards out of the bathroom door, followed by a murderous Ryoga. Ranma planted his hands on the porch, twisting his body to avoid the thrusts of the massive umbrella. He sprang away again, drawing Ryoga onwards.

Nodoka gasped as Ranma's body pierced the veil of rain. She watched as her son seemed to shrink and the black was washed out of his hair by a beautiful red colour. Ranma landed on her feet and watched calmly as a wet pig thudded into her now voluptuous chest.

"Ryoga-man, you are just too predictable," Ranma complained, reaching down and picking up the struggling piglet. He walked up to the porch and paused when he saw the group assembled there. "Hehe, ah Mom, meet my female side."

Nodoka looked appraisingly at her son turned daughter. She had believed the tale, especially after the transformation of that boy, Ryoga. Yet seeing Ranma change was a shock. Certainly she was a very comely girl, and it wasn't surprising that Genma had feared that there would be a misunderstanding about the old promise. Worst of all Ranma appeared at ease as a girl and seemed to unconsciously take up some very expressive poses.

Still smiling happily Ranma lifted Ryoga up before her face. "Come on pig, I'm gonna find some hot water then we can talk about this some more."

"Ranma, your father and I are about to leave," Nodoka interrupted.

"Well pig, looks like we're gonna stay like this just a little while longer." Ranma shrugged, which did unladylike things to her breasts, causing Nodoka to note to herself that she had to talk to her son about it.

Ranma looked at her father for a moment, then turned to toss Ryoga to the red-haired child. "Hey Ukyo, look after him for me will ya." She grabbed her father and dragged him off. "Excuse us, just want to talk to him for a sec." They left a baffled family behind them.

"What do you want boy?!" Genma demanded.

"Listen," Ranma growled. "I want you and Mum to get back together, so I'm gonna give you some advice on dealing with women."

The older man snorted. "Ranma, I am decades your senior, I think I more about the fairer sex than you."

"Then answer me this: Which one of us has the good relationship?" Ranma smiled smugly at his father when he didn't receive an answer. "I know the way you think Pop. And I'm willing to bet you're going to approach this like Mom's an opponent. She's not! She's an ally! You've got to learn to read her and react in a way that'll cause her to be happy, not short term, but long term. Don't say or promise anything ya don't mean. Above all be honest, lying's only gonna cause more problems later when she finds out. And believe me, she will find out.

"If you want to stay with her Pop, you're gonna have to get past whatever she feels about your distrust in her. Once you've settled the bad blood, then you can get around to rebuilding whatever it was you once had."

Genma stared at his son, not expecting the seriousness in the boy. The older man could see in Ranma's eyes that this was not just some theory he'd come up with, but instead information hard won. He lowered his head, acknowledging that his son was indeed wiser on this. "What do you suggest?"

"Don't let things sit. If she's not raging, then you should be talking. Explain, don't excuse. Admit you've made mistakes, don't cover them up. Tell her you love her, but don't use it too appease her 'cause then it'll mean less later when you use it to make up." Ranma paused. "Most of all Pops, be good to her." He smiled at him. "And forget everything Master Happosai ever taught you."

Genma grinned at the last comment. "I'm glad he didn't hear you say that."

Ranma shrugged and started guiding his father back to the others. "He may be a great martial artist, but his people skills leave a lot to be desired."

The farewell to Genma and Nodoka was a sober occasion. Everyone felt as if part of their life was leaving with the greedy man, even though they wouldn't be far away and the short trip between the houses wasn't too much trouble. The entire family stood on the front porch, waving good-bye as Nodoka walked away, escorted by a panda sheltering her with a parasol.


	8. Chapter 8

Returning Home

Chapter 8

By David Farr

Ranma 1/2 is copyrighted by Rumiko Takahashi/Shogakukan, Inc and is used here respectfully for the purposes of fanfiction. This story may be redistributed only if unchanged and no fee is charged.

*****

Nabiki calmly shook out her umbrella, then turned to open the door. Stepping inside, she noted the calmness of the house, but didn't think anything of it. "I'm home!"

Her cry brought Kasumi out from the kitchen, wiping her hands on her apron. "Hello, Nabiki. You arrived home just in time. I am about to put dinner out on the table."

"Just in time is right," Nabiki snorted as she kicked off her shoes "I wouldn't want to lose my dinner to mister Saotome."

"Oh, Mr Saotome won't be joining us tonight," Kasumi replied, turning back towards the kitchen.

"Eh?" Nabiki hurried after her sister. "Why not? Did Ranma finally get sick of the old panda and sell him to a zoo?"

"As much as he might like to do it, I doubt Ranma would." Kasumi stepped into the kitchen, immediately sweeping over to the stove to turn down a pot that was just coming to a boil. "No, he left with Mrs Saotome."

"Ah," Nabiki commented sagely, opening the fridge and peering inside. It took a few more moments before realisation hit. She straightened, eyes wide. "Mrs Saotome?!"

Kasumi was quietly sipping the soup. "Yes, Ranma's mother. She came looking for them. It was all very sweet, a mother reunited with her son, not to mention meeting his wife and children for the first time." She reached over to her spice rack and pulled out a small container. A small pinch of the herbs was dropped into the pot.

"So what's happened?" Nabiki pulled a can of drink out of the fridge and popped it open.

Kasumi stirred the soup, mixing in the herbs. "She was not pleased with Genma taking her son away from her for ten years, but they decided to return to the Saotome house to sort out their differences." She dipped the wooden spoon in again, and took another sip of soup. She looked thoughtful, then nodded in satisfaction. "I doubt I would give him another chance the way she has."

Nabiki nodded as she sat at the kitchen table. "Yeah well, she doesn't know him the way we do." She paused. "Or maybe she knows him better."

Abandoning the pot, Kasumi moved over to the bench, and started slicing up vegetables. "It all wasn't helped by the fact that Genma had sworn that if Mother Saotome didn't think Ranma was a man amongst men, both he and Ranma would commit seppuku."

"Ah, a promise worthy of Genma." Nabiki held her can up in salute. "What did Mrs Saotome think?"

"I believe the children were more than enough proof for her." Kasumi paused in her chopping and, out of the corner of her eyes, noticed Nabiki taking a sip out of her can. "Tell me, Nabiki, did you know Ryoga was P-chan?"

Startled, Nabiki instinctively tried to spit out her drink, sending it spraying across her front as it splashed against the can. "You're kidding!"

"I knew he had a curse," Kasumi admitted, "either that or he was some kind of pervert that kept stripping naked and running away. He seemed such a nice boy. That was why I always looked after his clothes when I found them. To think he'd abuse Akane like that."

"Yeah, it's always the quiet ones," Nabiki admitted cautiously, grabbing a towel to dab up the drink on her chest.

"You didn't know, did you, Nabiki?"

"Of course not. There is no way the lost boy could pay me enough to let him get away with it." She stopped drying her clothes, satisfied she had done what she could. "But you shouldn't worry about it, sis. Akane's dealing with it, I'm sure, and Ranma's backing her up."

"That's what father said."

Nabiki stepped up beside her sister and gently put her hand on his shoulder. "He's right, for once. Listen to him."

Ranma's head suddenly appeared in the doorway. "Hey. Oh, hi Nabiki. Either of you seen the pig? He got away from Ukyo before I got a chance to talk with him."

*****

Mr Eda, history teacher of class 1F at Furinkan high, was of the opinion that it wasn't his job to make sure that his students were actually learning what he was teaching. If they wanted good grades, it was up to them to study on their own.

So it was that every history period found Eda standing at the front of the room, chalk tapping on the board as he wrote down information, and ignoring the knots of discussion that quickly formed behind him. Strangely, his methods worked, as the students were forced to learn entirely on their own.

Finding Ranma Saotome hard at work was not something his friends Daisuke and Hiroshi expected. Daisuke, the nearer of the two, leant over to peer at the notebook the martial artist was writing in. It was a surprise that he found, not some ridiculous drawing, but instead writing that looked like it belonged on some ancient temple.

Shaking his head, Daisuke leaned closer yet. "Psst, Ranma."

Ranma, didn't stop writing in his notebook. Instead he turned slightly to look at his friend out of the corner of his eye. "Wha?"

"Hiroshi and I were just talking, and something occurred to us. You and Akane have done the deed, haven't you?" he whispered.

Ranma's smirk was hidden from the other boy thanks to the fact that he was still buried in his book. "Yeah, we've done lots of deeds," Daisuke brightened at Ranma's reply, "we've saved entire worlds for example."

Daisuke, and Hiroshi who was leaning across to listen, crashed to the ground in surprise. "That's not what I meant!" Daisuke hissed. "I meant you've $%#ed her, cause you've got kids and all."

Ranma put down his pencil and turned to face the pair. "Look, when you guys decided to grow up some, you'll realise just how private that is. I am not going to tell you, especially where Akane can hear me!"

"Get real Ranma, Akane can't hear us!"

Moments later a wad of paper bounced off his head, onto Ranma's desk. Smirking again, he rolled the ball and showed it to the other. [Wanna bet? -- Akane.]

Ranma grinned, then went back to scribbling in his notebook in that incomprehensible language.

*****

Birds sang from the trees and a few office workers sat on the benches near the pond drinking from Styrofoam cups. The peace of the small patch of green woodland seemed almost out of place amongst the dull metal of the surrounding city.

Into the calm intruded the sharp tip of a blade, which then swept downwards and to the side, leaving a pulsating slash of energy in its wake. Whatever was wielding the weapon withdrew it, and then a second point pierced the air. It too cut down, perpendicular to the pervious tear, then was pulled away. The four flaps curled away, revealing a starlit landscape beyond.

A single figure, holding two long katana, skipped across the threshold of the hole and glided across the ground. She tipped forward slightly, using the rubber stoppers on her roller blades to bring herself to a stop as the hole sealed shut behind her. Her outfit of black and neon green looked like it was designed for a Californian roller-skater, but on closer inspection a variety of mystical symbols had been hidden amongst the padding.

The girl herself looked very young. Barely fifteen, if that. Her blonde hair was swept back into a long pigtail that swept down her back. Feather-like antennae rose from the domes that covered her ears, and a single wire swept up from the band that connected her headphones. She smiled happily, calmly spun her swords and shoved them into the sheaths on her back.

"Now, where in the multiverse am I?" she murmured in perfect Japanese.

*****

"...so my parents went home to talk. After that I discovered that Ryoga had got away from Ukyo and vanished again," Ranma finished.

"Sounds like a busy night," Ukyo commented. "Glad I didn't stop around after work."

The three friends (well, a couple and their friend) were sitting under one of the many trees in Furinkan's yard, casually eating lunch. Much to the delight of both girls Ranma had accepted both their offered meals, although no one would have thought this much of a surprise.

Akane sighed deeply. "Problems just keep coming out of the wood work for us."

"Yeah, seems there's always trouble when Ranchan's around. Makes me glad you won him, Akane-chan." Ukyo laughed, and Ranma smiled, glad his friend was comfortable with the ways things had ended up. Akane, on the other hand, saw how forced the laugh was.

"Excuse us, mind if we join you?" Everyone looked around to find Akane's two friends Sayuri and Yuka hover just behind Akane and Ukyo. Like Akane they were dressed in the standard Furinkan uniforms, but both still held their bento boxes.

"Of course," Akane replied, shifting to widen the circle to include them as Ukyo did the same on her side. "How have you two been?"

Yuka smiled as the pair settled down. "Much better since it became known that you two are a serious item."

Ranma raised an eyebrow at this, but left replying to Akane. "Pardon?"

"Well, Akane, you've had the entire male population chasing you, or at least lusting after you, since the beginning of the year. Now that you're married, and so happily too I might add, there are a lot more available boys," Sayuri explained.

"Of course, it doesn't help that by capturing Ranma, you've let loose two of the cutest girls in Nerima," Yuka added hurriedly.

"Huh? The two cutest girls in Nerima?" Ranma blinked. "I thought I caught the cutest girl in Nerima."

Akane shook her head. "That has to be Azusa."

"Good point. Okay, the lovliest."

"Thank you." Akane didn't take her eyes off Ukyo during the exchange and thus caught the pained wince.

"So who are you talking about?" Ukyo inquired.

"Why, you and Shampoo, of course," Sayuri replied. "Didn't you realise that the boys are starting an Ukyo Kounji fan club?"

"Ack!" Ukyo fell over in surprise. "You're kidding!"

Sayuri shook her head. "Not in the least. I heard there was a meeting this lunch time."

Ukyo settled down, grumbling. "Just so long as I don't start getting attacked every morning." At that everyone laughed.

"Maybe you can find yourself a good man," Ranma commented. "Someone less weird than Tsubasa, preferably. Someone like--"

Ranma's comments were interrupted by a cry from the nearby bushes. "AKANE-CHAN!"

*****

The rain had continued for the entire miserable night. In her box, shivering in the wet, she had alternated between dreams of lying beside her husband and killing the woman who dared to take him from her. Those two pleasures had been swept away like the clouds by the morning sun.

Reality had still seemed harsh, despite the beauty of the shimmering puddles left on the sidewalk, but a night of dreams had inspired her. This would be the day she would claim that which was hers, and the violent tomboy would learn her place.

Finding hot water was a chore. Returning to the Nekohanten was out of the question, her great-grandmother would simply try to stop her. No, that was wrong, there would be no try, simply action. Shampoo rose to the task and it didn't even bother her that her hair would smell like herb tea for a while.

It didn't take much to steal a pair of men's slacks and a Hello Kitty T-shirt, and find herself a pair of bonbori. She immediately set out for the one place she knew Akane would be: Furinkan High.

Her journey across Nerima's rooftop highway didn't go as unnoticed as was usual. Instead a strange girl skating along the paths spotted her and was intrigued.

'Hmmm,' she thought, watching the leaps and bounds carrying the amazon towards her target. 'Purple hair in pigtails and carrying wooden maces. Why does that sound familiar?' She paused for a moment, then shrugged. 'Oh well, she's cute.' She reached over her shoulder and shifted the hilt of one of her swords, then skated straight towards one of the buildings.

Emi was one of those citizens of Nerima who didn't think twice about tossing water out of a window. As such, when she had finished her cleaning for the day she simply threw open the nearest window and leant out to overturn the bucket. Usually however she didn't have to pull back in to avoid being run over by a roller-blader skating up the wall.

She glanced down at the bucket. "Right, no more chemical cleaners for me."

The girl with the two swords glanced back as she reached the roof and her gravity returned to normal. She hadn't expected to have someone stick their head out right before her. Her quarry was still in sight, so the sword-girl spun and started building up speed to follow.

If Shampoo had realised the ease with which she was being followed she would have died of shame, as her tail was doing absolutely nothing to hide herself. Even had she wanted to, the roller-blader was hard pressed to keep up with the amazon's single-minded determination.

At last Shampoo arrived at school, coming off the roofs and dropping silently into the bushes. She had just enough time to take in the scene of Ranma, Akane, Ukyo and two other schoolgirls chatting happily before a blur of black and fluorescent green shot past her.

"Akane-chan!" the roller-blader cried happily, and barrelled into the other girl.

Much to her surprise Akane found herself a good couple of meters from the others and the recipient of a hug worthy of Shampoo. She looked down to find a smiling face gazing up from a sea of blonde hair, and green and black material.

"Akane-chan! It's been so long!" The girl giggled.

"Blades?!" Akane asked incredulously. "Blades?!"

"Hey squirt, long time no see," Ranma called from where the others were now standing. "Could you possibly let go of my wife?" He walked calmly towards them. Behind him, Sayuri and Yuka were watching in total surprise, while Ukyo had reached over her shoulder for her spatula.

Blades giggled again, and shifted slightly to look over her shoulder at him. "No." She poked her tongue out at him. It had been awhile since she had last seen the pair and enjoyed a hug with Akane, so she wasn't about to give up without a fight.

"Please, Blades," Akane asked sweetly, batting her eyelids at the young girl.

"I never could say no to a pretty girl," Blades sighed, and released Akane. She reached out to push herself to her feet and "accidentally" rested one hand against Akane's breast.

"BLADES!" Akane squealed.

"Sorry, couldn't resist." The girl gave another giggle and quickly leapt to her feet, gliding away beyond Akane's reach. Her smile was the bright, infectious kind that seemed to brighten the very day.

"I've put people in hospital for less," Akane warned. She was frowning too deeply to be taken seriously.

"Yeah, usually me," Ranma added, grinning mischievously as he helped his wife to her feet.

Blades glided across to the standing trio and slowly looped around behind them. Grinning, she looked each over in turn, giving Ukyo only a moments attention before moving onto to the other two. The pair found themselves under a gaze that felt like that of a lustful boy, causing them to draw closer together in fear.

"Cute friends you got here, Akane-chan," Blades announced as she completed her loop, then skated over to meet Ranma and Akane as they wandered back. "I'm jealous."

"Umm, Akane, who's your, ah, friend?" Yuka asked, her voice squeaking slightly.

Blades made another loop around behind Akane and Ranma, then skated towards the pair of girls. She slid to a stop, and bowed deeply, complete with a flourish of her hand, before them. "I, fair maidens, am Juxtanher'Nealiaq." She looked up at them with a grin. "But most people refer to me as Blades, 'cause it's not quite the tongue twister."

"She is also, if you hadn't guessed, an aggressive homosexual," Ranma added, coming up behind her.

Blades straightened and her grin become wolfish as she growled playfully at the girls.

"Eep!" Yuka squeaked, taking a step back.

"Down girl," Akane said, laughing. "I don't think they're interested."

"'Kay." The grin and the lechery vanished from the smaller girl's face. "So, Akane-chan, are you at least going to introduce them to me?"

Akane rolled her eyes. "Yuka, Sayuri, Ukyo, this is our friend Blades, who we met during our travels."

"Oh, so she can move between worlds too, huh?" Ukyo looked the girl over.

Blades skated up to Ukyo, and bent over to stare at Ukyo's chest. She raised a finger and poked at her breasts. "You're a girl!"

Ukyo took a step back, and wrapped her arms about her chest. "Yeah, you wanna make something of it?!"

A look of dejection covered Blades' face. "Why would any girl hide herself?" She raised her arms to the heavens and stared up. "Oh why, gods above, should a beautiful flower wear the guise of a weed?!" The other five all sweatdropped at her dramatic outcry.

"So, Blades, what brings you here?" Akane inquired.

"Oh, that girl with purple hair hiding in the bushes."

Everyone paused for a moment, and then Shampoo burst from the bushes, her bonbori raised above her head. "DIE, AKANE!"

*****

The Chinese gentleman stood waiting patiently in the reception area of the veterinarian hospital. Living in a village full of women that would beat you to a pulp if you stepped out of line made patience a survival trait. Still, he couldn't help but tap his foot impatiently. He wasn't a great marital artist like his daughter, nor wizened by his grandmother-in-law's years, but even he had moments of clairvoyant-like feelings.

And right now his feelings were saying that someone had to go help his Shampoo. Not Cologne, he doubted she would listen to him, but a certain duck would need little prodding to hurry off to the rescue.

"Sorry about this." The receptionist/nurse emerged from the back rooms carrying a cage that contained a disturbed looking duck wearing coke-bottle thick glasses. "He's one of the most badly behaved pets I've seen in a long time."

"I understand," he bowed to her and took the cage. "May I use your toilet before I go?"

"Of course, it's right through there." She smiled and watched as the walking stereotype moved off in the direction she indicated.

The nurse was very surprised when a young man in white robes burst from the toilet and shot out the door. Moments later the old Chinese gentleman ambled out, sans duck. He smiled and nodded before leaving too.

Curiosity got the better of her and she went to find out what had happened to the duck. All she found was the discarded cage and a wet patch on the floor.


	9. Chapter 9

Returning Home

Chapter 9

By David Farr

Ranma 1/2 is copyrighted by Rumiko Takahashi/Shogakukan, Inc and is used here respectfully for the purposes of fanfiction. This story may be redistributed only if unchanged and no fee is charged.

*****

"So, Blades, what brings you here?" Akane inquired.

The sword-bearing skater shrugged and waved her hand in the direction she had come from only moments before. "Oh, that girl with purple hair hiding in the bushes."

Everyone paused for a moment, and then Shampoo burst from the bushes, her bonbori raised above her head. "DIE, AKANE!"

The reactions were varied.

Sayuri and Yuka took a step backwards, their only option, thanks to their lack of martial arts. Ukyo, although the attack wasn't aimed at her, reached for the spatulas on her bandoleer. She would be ready only moments too late to act. Ranma and Akane, standing side-by-side, leapt backwards, and in perfect synchronicity, flipped around to face their foe. Shampoo landed on the ground hard, surprised when she didn't feel the strike land, Akane hadn't dodged far enough.

The two heads of her bonbori landed on the ground behind her.

"I don't think I like you anymore," Blades murmured, breaking the resulting silence. All eyes turned, to find her still standing a few meters from Shampoo, one of the katana she wore on her back now held at the end of a swing.

Shampoo stood, blinking at the two wooden handles she held. The cut was clean, no splintering, no cracks in the wood. She glanced at the sword girl standing too far away to have made the attack, who was even now drawing her second blade.

"How did she do that?" Sayuri asked, her voice quieted by wonder.

Blades crossed the swords before her face, and glared at Shampoo from between the blades. "These are the twin swords Infinity and Eternity, which can cleave existence itself. Be thankful I am sworn never to use them on another life for petty reasons, or you would now be dead."

Yuka glanced at Sayuri. "Saving a friend is petty?"

"I don't want to know what she considers important," the other returned.

"Blades," Ranma growled, "settle down."

Blades spun, lowering her swords to her sides. "She just tried to kill AKANE!" she exclaimed angrily.

"We DON'T kill, Blades!" Ranma snapped back. 'Didn't I have this conversation with Ukyo only a few days ago?'

Blades snorted. "Well then, maybe I should just drop her in some dead-pocket universe. She deserves that much!"

"That would be hard," Ukyo inserted, stepping up beside them. "Shampoo did a runner." Everyone looked around to find, sure enough, Shampoo had indeed vanished on them, leaving behind only the four parts on her bonbori.

"Great," groaned Akane, "now we have to keep an eye out for her."

At that moment the bell rang, signalling the end of lunch and precluding further conversation.

*****

Genma Saotome sat quietly on the porch of the home he had not seen in over ten years. The house was peaceful and well kept, and Genma was glad to see that his wife had taken such good care of it. In a way, he supposed, this was her part of their deal; he would take care of their son, and she would give them somewhere to return to.

He shook his head, clearing it and returning his thoughts to the reason he had come out there in the first place. Ranma had been right, he reflected, he needed to tell her a lot. If he didn't, and someone else told her, things would be much worse.

Mind made up, he stood and walked inside to find Nodoka sitting at the kitchen table with a cup of tea. She had just finished cleaning up after their lunch, a silent affair that had prompted Genma to start thinking. They spent the night talking, but he had realised she could tell he was holding some thigns back.

"What is it, Genma?" Nodoka asked, looking up at her husband as he faltered in the doorway.

Genma took a deep breath, gathering his little-used courage, and stepped forward. "I have much to tell you, and I would like it if you could stay calm to the end."

Nodoka nodded. "I believe I can do that."

"I am not so confident, there is a lot I am not proud of." He sat down at the table opposite her, and started doing the bravest thing he had done: tell the complete truth to his wife.

*****

Shampoo came to a stop, finally, and crumpled to the rooftop, tears streaming from eyes. Tears of shame.

Shame. It was becoming too familiar a companion. First Ranma, back in the village, defeating her in only a single blow. Then Ranma again, fooling her with the curse, sending her home with a torn heart. Then her Grandmother, upon her return to the village, heaping on more, and included a Jusenkyo curse to add insult to injury.

Now she was stuck in this horrible country, surrounded by weak women and arrogant men. She had to put up with the comments, the scornful looks, and it was all supposed to be for Ranma, so that if she couldn't be the greatest, then she could be second greatest and married to the greatest. Yet since she'd arrived more and more martial artists were popping up better than her.

'Now, Akane has Ranma, and Great-Grand-- Cologne supports her, and I've been defeated again by some outsider girl with magical swords,' she sighed, 'what else can go wrong?'

A shadow fell over her, causing Shampoo to look up from where she was lying, sprawled on the rooftop. At first the shadow made no sense, as it seemed to just begin suddenly, but then she looked a little further up, and found a pair of black metal boots hovering a couple of feet off the roof. She continued looking up.

The boots were worn by a tall man, and they matched the rest of his ensemble. A black cloak hung about him, open enough at the front to reveal black metal armour. His face was pale, and Shampoo wasn't sure, but it looked like it was covered in tiny white scales. His black (of course) hair was pulled back tight in a ponytail.

His eyes, white balls with soulless black pools, were fixed on the sobbing amazon. "Yes, you'll do," he stated calmly, as if he was selecting a slab of meat from the butcher. Not once did his face show any emotion.

Shampoo found herself dragged off the ground, although the man had made no move. She tried to struggle, tired to see who was holding her - although she felt no hands on her - but found herself unable to move. It was as if she was encased in glass.

Fear lanced through Shampoo, a dread she had never felt before. Always she had been sure of herself, or at least sure that Ranma would come to save her. This time, she was helpless, and Ranma would not be coming, he had Akane. Hatred and rage shot through her, but vanished quickly into the icy depths of her fear.

For a moment the corners of his mouth curled down, and his eyes tightened. "Maybe--"

A small flash of silver shot between them, and for a moment a cut along his check was highlighted in red.

"LET GO OF MY SHAMPOO!"

'Mousse!' Shampoo thrilled in her heart.

The man slowly turned to face the newcomer. For a moment he eyed the seething Chinese boy, his face betraying no emotion. He raised a hand to his cheek, and touched the cut.

"You are lucky, boy, that you didn't do more damage," he voice was infuriatingly calm. "But you didn't so I will just admit that I was careless. That way I won't have to kill you or the girl."

"LET HER GO!" From somewhere in his white robes Mousse produced a startling array of swords.

The man's eyes flicked back to Shampoo. "If you want her, have her." Shampoo was thrown through the air at Mousse, and the pair collided, Mousse's weapons vanishing just in time to catch the girl. They fell to the ground in a pile.

"It turns out I had no use for her anyway," the man said calmly. "Do not expect to see me again." From beneath his robes he produced a sword that was almost as long as he was tall and half as wide as his body. He lifted it up before him, and concentrated for a moment. A dark rift formed between them, blocking him from sight. And when it was gone, so was he.

Shampoo buried her face in the folds of Mousse's robes, sobbing her fear out with her tears.

"Shampoo, it's okay," he whispered in Mandarin, gently wrapping her in his arms.

"No Mousse, it's not okay," she sobbed back. "But you'll help me, won't you?"

"Of course. I'll do anything for you, I promise."

Shampoo's sobbing stopped and, hidden in folds of his robe, she started smiling. "Good. We'll make them pay. We'll make them ALL pay."

*****

Nodoka closed her eyes as Genma finally stopped talking. In silence she stood from the kitchen table and walked to the bench, setting the kettle to boil once she got there. She stood staring out the window, letting everything sink in.

This man, that she had once loved, and still did in fact, had made numerous mistakes raising they're son. She had to ask herself what kind of person could possibly drop their child into a pit full of hungry cats. Or use him as barter for food. Or... any number of other things.

Yet all through his story, amidst all the disasters and lies, there was one theme. He really had meant well. If it wasn't a well meaning, if ill-planned, new technique for Ranma's education, it was simply an attempt to feed them both. Lots of stupid mistakes, yes, but nothing malicious.

The kettle whistled, breaking her out of reverie. Silently she poured the boiling water into her cup, then dunked her teabag into it a few times. Once she was sure the brew was strong enough she pulled out the bag and carefully carried it to the rubbish bin before returning to get her cup.

As she was doing this, Genma watched her anxiously. He did love her, but also feared her. Once she made a decision it was hard to convince her to change her mind.

"Have you asked Ranma for forgiveness?" Nodoka finally asked.

"The boy has long since forgiven me," Genma assured her.

Nodoka turned away from the window and looked at him. "That is not what I asked, husband. I wanted to know if you had apologised to him?" Her hard gaze fixed him. "You have made our son's life much harder than was necessary, all in pursuit of your dream. You admit that you have made mistakes, but have looked at him and said you are sorry?"

"Umm..." Genma glanced down at the table. "I... no."

"Then you know what you should do."

*****

Ryoga Hibiki was lost. Now this is not a problem for most people, even when they are lost, they can use landmarks like tall towers or mountains to direct them. Unfortunately Ryoga's absolutely lack of a sense of direction, coupled with his habit of not really paying attention to anything around him, meant that he couldn't use the Tokyo Tower as a reference to find the Tokyo Tower.

This didn't stop him from asking, well demanding really, people for directions. So, as he was storming down another unfamiliar road, and spotted a girl loitering on the sidewalk, he had no qualms about marching up to her and demanding his usual, "Where is the Tendo dojo?!"

If he had been paying attention - which he wasn't, because he was too self-absorbed in blaming Ranma for his troubles - he might have noticed that she was cleaning a strange pair of headphones with a rag. The girl, a blonde Caucasian in neon green and black skating clothes looked up at him, then blathered something in a foreign language while waving at him.

'Am I in another country?' Ryoga wondered. 'That would be a first.' He turned and started walking again. 'Maybe I can find someone who speaks Japanese.'

Meanwhile the girl slipped her headset back on and looked up at the young man, only to find him gone. She glanced up and down the road, but saw no sign of him.

"Where'd he go?" Blades inquired of no one in particular, once more speaking perfect Japanese. "There wasn't a chance we could understand each other with me not wearing my translator." She turned back to look at the school just as the end of the day bell rang.

She spent a few minutes, glancing through the streams of students leaving the building, heading off to after school clubs. Those few in the "going home early club" wandered past her, eyeing her but making no comments but the strange gaijin.

"Hey, Blades!" Ranma waved at her as he, Akane, Ukyo and Nabiki strolled towards her amongst the crowds.

"Ranma! Akane! Girl who dresses as a boy!" Blades cried and skated up to them.

"My name is Ukyo."

Ignoring her, Blades skated around the small group, slowing down as she passed behind Nabiki. "Oooh, who's this one? Hmm?"

"Ranma?" Nabiki's voice was low and deadly.

Akane gave a laugh. "Nabiki, this our friend Blades. Blades, this is my older sister Nabiki."

"Are all the women in your family good looking?" Blades asked, grinning as she coasted around in front of the group again.

"I think so," Ranma interjected, "but I also think I got the cutest!" He smiled at Akane.

Nabiki rolled her eyes. "I'm going to throw up."

"But don't you wish someone would look at you like that?" Blades inquired sweetly, batting her eyelids at the middle girl.

"Would you mind?" Nabiki deadpanned.

Ukyo chuckled. "Well, I'll leave you all to deal with Nabiki's ardent admirer, I have a restaurant to run. Mind if I stop around later tonight?"

"Go right ahead, Ucchan," Ranma replied. "I'm sure there'll be something of interest happening no matter what time you show up."

"And here I thought I was cynical," Nabiki commented, trying to shake Blades off without looking like it disturbed her.

Still laughing, Ukyo separated from the group and started off down the road at a run. In moments she had taken to the rooftops and vanished, leaving the others to start towards the Tendo dojo.

Blades continued to drift around the trio as they walked home. Both Akane and Ranma noticed that her gaze seemed to lay on Nabiki more often than not.

"So, how did you three meet and become such good friends?" Nabiki inquired, trying hard to ignore the roller-blader.

"Awww, you do care!" Blades gushed, pausing next to Nabiki and gazing at her in adoration.

Ranma joined his wife in a chuckle before answering. "It was while Akane was pregnant with Ryoga. We had stopped on what seemed a relatively safe world. Sure there were guys running around with powers beyond belief, but there were also superheroes, just like in the American comics..."

*****

Saying Ranma Saotome was impatient is like saying that it get foggy in London. It wasn't so much that he had just spent a long day running around the city delivering packages so he could feed his family. Hell, with his speed and unique paths, it was just another form of training. And it wasn't that Akane cranky because of her pregnancy, he had put up with worse from her. It wasn't even the three-year-old child perched on his shoulders twisting and turning to take in the sights.

No, what was annoying him was the damn line at the bank. They had come down to the bank to cash his paycheque, only to get stuck. 'It feels like we haven't moved in the last ten minutes.' Ranma checked the clock, and found that they indeed hadn't moved in ten minutes.

"What's taking so long?!" Akane growled.

"Dunno," Ranma replied, glancing around and reading the posters yet another time. It was strange how two of the most common languages in all the worlds were English and Japanese. Just one of those strange coincidences, he supposed.

Akane opened her mouth to snap back, but was interrupted by a call from the door. "Excuse me folks, but this is a bank robbery. So, please lie down on the ground, and things can go pleasantly."

"Excuse me?" muttered the person in line behind the Ranma. "What kind of nut robs a bank and says 'Excuse me'?"

Everyone turned to look at the door, to see three men standing just inside. The one in the lead was wearing silver armour with a bullet shaped helmet and a large backpack. Two hoses protruded from the backpack and looped around his side to attach to the back of his gauntlet. The other two appeared to be wearing silvery jump-suits, and each carried a rifle with a large canister of goo slung under it.

"Oh, it's the Glue Gun," someone groaned.

"That's Glue Master," the super-villain announced in a pompous voice. "Now, get to the floor, or you'll find yourself in a very sticky situation."

Grumbling, the bank's customers started to lower themselves onto the ground. Deciding that it was better not to get involved with so many innocents, Ranma lowered his daughter from his shoulders and then offered his arm to Akane, to help her.

Unfortunately one of the henchmen decided he wasn't moving fast enough. The first Ranma knew of this was when the butt of the rifle slammed into his back. "He said down!"

The Glue Master raised one figure and started waving it like a scolding teacher. "Now, now, there's no need for viol..." He trailed off as the henchman shot past him and bounced off the wall. He turned to look at the young man standing, his hand balled in a fist, glaring at the remaining henchman and the super-villain.

Now, at this point, it should be noted that the Glue Master was a not-very-super super-villain. In actual fact the only reason he could even make a living was that most of the heroes felt him beneath their notice. Only the novice or very conscientious super-heroes usually bothered with him and then only if the cops weren't about.

So it was that when a pissed off Ranma dived forward, his fists blazing outward while he yelled something about chestnuts and fire, the Glue Master barely had time to raise his gauntlet. He had no chance to trigger the pumps that would mix and eject the glue, and even if he had, the way he folded over the few hundred punches delivered to his abdomen meant that he'd have simply sprayed it all over himself.

Ranma spun as the Glue Master collapsed to the ground, his eyes hunting for the last henchman. Instead he found the silver suited man collapsed on the floor at his daughter's feet, the red head grinning cheekily, now holding her spear upright. It looked like the man had been the victim of Chibi-Ukyo's newly created spinning spear attack.

With a soft hum the automatic-door slid open, revealing a girl in a cheap black bandanna mask and a black and green skaters outfit and pads, posing dramatically with two swords. "Look Glue Guy, let's make this quick. I drew the short straw, but I've got a date in only an hour." She looked up, surveying the scene for the first time. "Yeah, that'll do." Slowly she drifted across the carpeted floor to the fallen villain, as she travelled she pulled out a small device and pointed it at Ranma. "Woah, Glue Geek, beaten by civvies, that's a new low for you."

*****

Blades pushed off in front of Nabiki and the two Saotomes, turning to skate in front of them. "The next part of the story happens a few days later, and its mine, so I'll tell it." Without even glancing backwards she hopped over a small crack in the pavement that could have tripped her.

"I'd talked to Ranma and Akane for a while, and explained things to the police when they bothered to show up. In thanks they had invited me to dinner, and we discussed things, and got to be friends. Ranma's abilities weren't anything spectacular, nothing to sneeze at, but there were others who could do similar. What really piqued my interest was that he didn't register as having superpowers on my hand scanner. And I was about to find out that I wasn't the only one to make this discovery..."

*****

"Ah... come on, Defender, he could be so useful," Blades begged.

The man she was talking to was the leader of the small band of superheroes that protected the city, your typical charismatic leader. In a universe less worried about copyright infringement he would have been tall, blonde and blue eyed, wearing the American flag and carrying a shield. Of course, this man was wearing basic blue with a red cape and grey visored helmet that looked like something out of the middle ages.

"Blades, if you were talking about a woman, I'd suspect it was an attempt to get her into bed," Defender stopped his walk around the metallic briefing room of their super-hero base and waited for Blades to coast into view. "But that can't be it, so what are you really after."

"He has a beautiful wife," a musical voice announced from across the room. The pair turned to find a silver cloaked figure standing not far away. In fact the cloak was a part of Mercury's body, a simple creation to hide the fact that she was made entirely of a silvery liquid much like that she was named for.

"Stealing someone's wife now, Blades?" Defender inquired, looking at her askance. "I'm shocked."

"Awww, it's nothing like that. She's cute, but she's also pregnant, and I wanted to do them a favour. I mean, he's working as a courier, and you know how little he'd make doing that. Still, you've got to admit, having someone who doesn't show up on most scanners would be oh, so, useful."

"Maybe, but its the 'most' which makes him useless. We can never be sure that whoever he's sneaking up on doesn't have a scanner or super that can detect him."

"This is incorrect," Mercury interjected, still standing exactly where she had been earlier. "I have encountered Ranma Saotome before, during his deliveries about the city. His appearance was unexpected, as I was ten stories up and I hadn't detected anyone's approaching. I registered no physical or psychic power signature, so I suspected he was using magical means to travel. I requested Sakura to perform a scan, and she also detected nothing."

"He was standing in front of you and neither of you could detect anything?" Defender asked incredulously.

"In actual fact we conducted our investigation over the course of one point five seven kilometres. A distance he covered in one minute and fifty three seconds. During this time all I was capable of detecting was a two point five percent rise of his bio-energy field."

"Which means?"

"A normal person will experience approximately a five percent rise in their bio-energy during very a exhausting workout. This young man was not finding his exercise gruelling. Blades, do you find something wrong with my analysis?" Mercury looked at the roller-blading super-heroine who was busy shaking her head.

"Well, you see, I do know how he does it. His bio-energy, as you call it, increases by a lot more than two point five percent. The thing is he focuses that extra energy into his muscles, allowing him to perform superhuman feats." She explained.

"How do you know this?" Mercury asked.

"I asked Ranma." Blades paused. "Of course, he used words like ki instead of bio-energy, and wasn't as exact in his details."

"So this is some previously unknown ability?" Defender inquired. "Something he was born with or the result of an experiment?"

"Ranma says he trained for it, and he trained Akane and their daughter to do the same. A few of their friends can do it too."

"There's no way to detect them?" Defender inquired. "Other than the fact they can leap tall buildings in a single bound?"

"And deliver a few hundred punches in a second and explode solid stone by hitting it with their fingers." Blades added. "Ranma has even generated a hurricane by utilising different temperatures of ki, although that does require some special circumstances."

Defender nodded. "Okay, okay, invite him to join." He took a seat at the briefing table. "Why do I get the feeling I'm becoming obsolete?"

"If it's any comfort, he doesn't have your leadership skills," Blades offered.

*****

"After that Ranma joined our crew and battled with us to protect the city, while Akane enjoyed all the care and medical attention a government funded base can offer." Blades arced back around the group.

"So you come from that super-hero world?" Nabiki inquired.

Blades emerged from behind them again, shaking her head. "Nuh ah. I'm a world traveller like these two, but by choice. Yah see, I'm sworn to protect these swords, so I keep hopping worlds, trying to stay ahead of those that are after them."

"Really, what's so important about them?"

Akane and Ranma shared a groan.

Blades spun in front of them, drawing her swords to pose, even as she continued to roll backwards. "Forged in the very fires of universal creation, their awesome energies can unravel the very threads of the universe. They are Infinity and Eternity the swords of all existence!"

As she had spoken the other three had come to a halt, leaving her to continue down the road the away. When Blades finished her spiel, she found herself performing to empty air.

"Hey! Why'd you stop?!" she skated back.

"We're home," Akane replied, pointing at the gate.

"Tendo dojo of Anything Goes Martial Arts," Blades read. "Wow, do you use Anything Goes as a philosophy in life..." she paused dramatically, "and love?" She gazed hopefully at Akane.

"Forget it Blades, Ranma is my only love," Akane replied.

Blades turned to grin at Nabiki. "Oh well, I can hope that you're not the only practitioner in the family."

Nabiki took a step back from the ardent girl. "Ah... wha?"

Ranma and Akane simply chuckled before pushing open the door, abandoning poor Nabiki to her fate.


	10. Chapter 10

Returning Home

Chapter 10

By David Farr

Ranma 1/2 is copyrighted by Rumiko Takahashi/Shogakukan,Inc and is used here respectfully for the purposes of fanfiction. This story may be redistributed only if unchanged and no fee is charged.

*****

At the same time as a pair of married martial artists and a lesbian sword mistress were spinning the tale of their meeting, another martial artist was suffering under the agonising weight of a dreadful decision. He stood at a busy intersection, ignoring the signposts, since they were obviously in a foreign tongue and glanced about, trying to figure out which way lead to the port, and a possible ride back to Japan.

It should be pointed out here that, thanks to a conversation with a certain interdimensional traveller while she wasn't wearing her translator, Ryoga Hibiki was of the belief that he had, somehow, ended up in some foreign land. Of course the fact that the shops in this distant country all had Japanese signs out had yet to penetrate his highly focussed mind.

Frustrated by being more lost than he had ever been before in his life, Ryoga struck up, his fist impacting on a lamppost. "Ranma, somehow this is all your fault!" he growled, falling back on the old safe cliches. Immediately he took off down the road, not really knowing, or caring, where he was going.

A few moments later, having waited until its attacker had left, the lamppost toppled, barely missing two girls in Furinkan High uniforms. Perhaps it was bad luck, or a mischievous kami, but the lamp had fallen onto the road, directly in the path of an oncoming truck. The driver slammed on his brakes, almost jack-knifing his truck.

Again the Kami struck. A rope holding the truck's cargo in place snapped. Thankfully, only a single drum was sent catapulting into the air. It arced over the cab and fell straight at a person walking along the pavement. Sensing the projectile, Ryoga casually stabbed his finger backwards, shattering the drum, and letting its contents, quite a few litres of "pure" water, rain down on him.

The two Furinkan students watched as the martial artist vanished in the sudden downpour of his own making. Both knew about Jusenkyo curses, having seen Ranma, Mousse and Shampoo change on occasions. Burning with curiosity, they stepped forward and watching as the lump struggled within the soppy material. Suddenly it shot free of the clothes in a black blur headed for a nearby alleyway.

"Sayuri, wasn't that P-chan?" one of the girls asked cautiously of the other.

"Akane's pet pig? Yes, it was, Yuka."

"So that means that Ryoga is Akane's pet pig, P-chan."

"Akane's pet pig, P-chan, that she holds close to her chest."

"Akane's pet pig, P-chan, that she tells all her secrets to."

"Akane's pet pig, P-chan, that she takes to bed with her."

The pair stood in silence for a few seconds, staring at the sopping clothes at their feet. "THAT PERVERT!" they screamed.

The passing Kami wandered on, so happy with a job well done that it would have been patting itself on the back, if it had hands to pat with.

*****

Kasumi calmly poured a cup of tea and calmly passed it across the table to Nodoka. Grateful, the Saotome matriarch accepted the cup, and took a careful sip from it. Meanwhile Kasumi had filled another cup and passed it to her father.

Her own cup filled, Kasumi turned to Nodoka. "Saotome-san--"

"NO!" the vehemence shout from the corridor caused all three to jump. The door to the corridor was shoved open and Nabiki stalked in, followed by a blonde gaijin stranger in black and neon green.

"Awww, come on Nabi-chan," the gaijin pleaded as she followed along.

"I don't do that!" Nabiki snapped, dropping down into an empty place at the table.

Blades fell down next to her, latching onto her arm. "You won't know what its like until you try it." Soun's eyebrow twitched as he listened to the exchange. The other two at the table exchanged glances.

"Excuse me Nabiki, who's your friend?" Kasumi asked sweetly.

Nabiki glanced down at the girl, who rested her head against Nabiki's shoulder and grinned back. "She is Ranma and Akane's friend, not mine."

"Awww, Nabi-chan, what a mean thing to say!" Blades whined. "I was just trying to make nice!"

This was more than enough to set off Soun. "WAH! My daughter's a lesbian." Fountains of tears cascaded from his eyes.

"Daddy, please!" Nabiki snapped. She calmed herself and turned to her sister. "Speaking of the loving couple, where are Akane and Ranma?"

"Oh, Uncle Genma wanted to have a talk with them." Kasumi replied. "They all went out to the dojo for privacy." Nodoka nodded in agreement, a touch of pride in her features.

Nabiki raised her head to stare in the direction of the dojo thoughtfully, unaware that she was receiving a similar look from Blades. Her eyes narrowed. "Excuse me, I think I have some homework to do." She started to get up, only to be reminded of the anchor on her arm. "Blades, could you let go?"

The gaijin girl pouted, but released her hold. "Hey, Nabi-chan, mind if I join you? I'm sure I can help."

Already halfway to the door, Nabiki turned back with a raised eyebrow.

Lifting her hand to the headset, Blades fingered the metal feathers attached to the dome. "Yeah, it's amazing what fun you can have with some high-tech gadgetry." She leapt to her feet, cross the distance between them in a flash and grabbed Nabiki's wrist. "Come on, I'll show you."

Behind them Soun burst into tears once more.

Nodoka turned to Kasumi. "Is it always like this?"

"Oh my, no," Kasumi replied sweetly and with only a pleasant smile. "Usually there's more property damage."

*****

Ranma glanced around the dojo, wishing, not for the first time, the he had a longer attention span. It would make waiting for his father to actually say something so much easier.

His eyes flickered from the scrolls on the walls, to the patches on the wall where a certain ardent amazon had decided there should be a door. Next he focused on some scratches on the well-polished floor, probably left over from Chibi-Ukyo's battle with Kuno. That led him to think about his daughter, and from there his wife, who he immediately turned to stare at. Akane, unlike him, was still watching Genma as he hummed and ahhed over whatever it was he was going to say.

"...well, you see boy... that is... I have something important, well not so much important as..."

It was painful to watch him, Ranma decided. For one thing, if he twisted the front of his gi anymore, he'd probably rip it off. Not a pretty thought.

"Look Pop, spit it out!" he snapped.

Genma straightened, and released the folds of his gi. "Right. What I wanted to say is... I'm sorry."

Ranma and Akane continued staring at him blandly. "What for now?" they chorused.

He took a deep breath, swelling up, and even managed to summon up a little indignity. "Nothing new. I am apologising for everything I've done to you up till now. The Neko-ken, the forced engagements, Jusenkyo, all of that. What I did to you, it was wrong, I've known that, but... I had my reasons."

Ranma nodded in understanding. "That's okay Pop. I got over most of that years ago." He paused dramatically. "I just hope it is over."

"Ahh... I think so," Genma stared off into the distance. "I certainly can't remember anything you don't know about."

Ranma burst into a grin. "Well, if anything does come to mind, you can just pull me aside and explain it to me, can't you?"

"Of course," he smiled back at his son.

"Now, gentlemen," Akane interjected. "I'd like to remind you that Ranma and I have an appointment to keep at a day-care centre."

"Ah, then I'll leave it to you." Genma bowed out, glad that there were no objections, and made a beeline for the house. Watching him, Akane and Ranma enjoyed a few moments in each other's embrace at the dojo door.

"He really is a funny old man isn't he," Akane commented, smiling up at Ranma, but reaching past him to snatch something from the door. She held up the gleaming metal feather for Ranma to see.

"Yeah, isn't he." Ranma glanced knowingly up at the Nabiki's bedroom window. He received a nod, and the pair started moving quickly and with trained grace into the house.

"You know, that must have cost him a lot, opening up like that," Akane commented easily, her voice not betraying their movements at all, even as they started up the stairs.

"Yeah, I'd hate it if someone was listening in," Ranma said as they halted at the door. He took a deep breath. "ESPECIALLY THROUGH A MICROPHONE!"

*****

Inside Nabiki's room, only an instant earlier. The two girls sat on Nabiki's bed, Blades' headset was held between them. The domes were twisted around so that they could both press one to their ear, and listening through the "feather" Blades had thrown at the dojo door.

"Yeah, I'd hate it if someone was listen in." It took a moment for Ranma's comment to filter through their minds, a moment they could (and should) have spent pulling away. Obviously, they didn't. "ESPECIALLYTHROUGH A MICROPHONE!"

The sudden shout shocked both girls, and they fell backwards in a mixture of pain and surprise. The way they were sitting meant that they collapsed together, and ended up in a tangle of arms. This was unfortunate for Nabiki as Akane slammed the door open at that moment, revealing the pair on the bed in a very comprising position.

Blades, on the other hand, considered it fortunate, for much the same reasons.

"Wow, Nabiki, I didn't know you were like that!" Ranma exclaimed, in mock surprise.

"I'm not... I didn't..." Nabiki spluttered.

"Nabiki, my love!" Blades cried in bad Japanese, and swept the Nabiki into her embrace.

"Blades! Don't make this worse!" Nabiki cried. Of course, Blades, without her headset, understood not a word of this.

There was a flash of light, a type of flash that was very familiar to Nabiki. It was the type you found on a camera. Nabiki squirmed underneath her ardent suitor, and peered at the door, expecting to see Ranma or Akane. Instead, she found they had been crowded out of the doorway by the rest of their families, and the camera was resting firmly in the hands of the oldest Tendo daughter.

"WAH! My daughter's making out with another girl!" Soun wailed.

Nabiki sighed and let her head fall back onto the bed, wondering how her day could get any worse.

"Really, Nabiki," Mrs Saotome sniffed. "While your lifestyle is no business of mine, I would hope you wouldn't go that far on a first date."

Nabiki raised her head, and found Nodoka staring disapprovingly not at her face, but lower, a lot lower. Slowly Nabiki lowered her head to follow the gaze and found that, sure enough, her skirt had risen up above her waist, displaying her panties for all to see. Then of course there was the Blades' hand on her hip, which was touching bare skin. That did not look good. Not good at all.

There was another flash of light. "I'm definitely keeping that one," Kasumi announced sweetly, and without a hint of malice.

*****

Ranma and Akane strolled casually along the road, watching as their daughter dashed about the footpath in front of them. They had abandoned the house before Nabiki or Blades dragged them into more discussion. The last member of their little party, Chibi-Ryoga, sat gurgling in his sling, which Akane was wearing for once.

Surprisingly no princes from a magical land showed up to harass them, no suitors bent on stealing one or the other, and not a single rival popped up with an insane and badly thought out plan to kill them. So they actually made it to the kindergarten with time to spare, something they had not planned on.

The building was a modest place, an L shaped building with one arm meeting the sidewalk and a heavily fenced yard out front. Ranma paused at the gate and looked across the yard at the building, then a tall the children playing the yard. He frowned when he noticed that a single girl with pink-red hair, - she looked no older than some of their school friends - was watching over them.

"We're early," Akane commented.

"Yeah," Ranma watched as the girl picked up one of the children and scolded her for something. "Think we should wait a little?"

"No, best to see how they handle the unexpected," Akane commented.

Ranma nodded and looked down at where their daughter was leaping up and trying to peek over the fence. "Yeah, the unexpected always seems to happen around this family." He reached over the gate and pulled at the latch, then pushed open.

As they entered the yard a transformation came over Chibi-Ukyo. Her usual extroverted personality vanished, and she immediately clung to her father's leg, glancing around at the other children playing in the yard. Ranma reached down and patted her on her head.

Ranma blinked as the school girl rushed up. "Good afternoon," she bowed deeply. "You must be the Saotomes."

The pair shared a look, and then nodded.

"Mrs Katsura is inside watching over the children painting," the girl told them. She then pivoted and ran across the yard to pluck a child from a mud puddle.

Ranma and Akane shared a second glance, and walked - or in Ranma's case, limped - towards the door.

The inside of the kindergarten was one large room with a small office at one end and a pair of cubicles in the crock of the L with signs on the doors proclaiming them to be toilets. The rest of the room was divided into different activity areas by shelves and low divider walls.

Looking around, Akane and Ranma spotted two more adults caring for the children. One was sitting, surrounded by fascinated children, reading from a picture book he held in a hand. The other, an older woman, was stooped over a table where a half dozen children, all wearing smocks made from old shirts obviously donated by parents, were trying to draw on some large pieces of paper. Of course, these being young kids, more paint was on the smocks than the paper.

The old woman straightened and turned to look towards them. Smiling she waved them over.

She smiled as they approached. "Ah, you must be the Saotomes. I'm Asako Katsura, owner and operator of Furinkan Kindergarten."

Akane bowed her head to the woman. "Pleased to meet you. I'm Akane, this is my husband Ranma and our daughter Ukyo."

"Pleased to meet you all," she gave them a short bow back. "You'll have to excuse me taking care of the children while we talk. I intended to take you into the office, but one of my volunteers called in sick, and I couldn't get a replacement." She smiled apologetically.

The girl the Saotome's saw in the yard skidded to a stop just outside the window, looking straight up. "What are you doing up there?" she demanded, then shot straight up, to come down a moment later with a child wrapped entirely in grey in her arms. "You know you aren't supposed to climb onto the roof."

Ranma glanced around at the room with a disinterested eye. "Nice place you got here, Katsura-san"

"Thank you," Katsura-san returned, ignoring his tone. "We've tried to make it as enjoyable as possible for all the children. Usually there are five of us here during the mornings and early afternoon, and by this time of day we can let turn the numbers back to just four as some parents come to pick up their children." She paused. "Before we go any further, I should ask if you little Ukyo is a 'special' child."

"'Special'?" Akane and Ranma both inquired.

"Yes, Nerima seems to attract some very unique individuals, and it only makes sense that they have special children. I'm sure you understand."

Akane joined Ranma in big sweating. "Aha, of course. And what if she was a... 'special' child?" she inquired hesitantly.

"Oh, it's just nice to have some warning. Until Asuko Natsume" she nodded out the window at the girl in the yard, "starting working here, I used to have problems with them, but now we can handle them."

Ranma and Akane glanced at each other, then out at Asuko, just in time to see her effortlessly uproot one of the climbing frames to let a child out who had managed to get herself stuck.

"I think she'll be able to handle anything," Ranma commented.

"Oh my yes," Katsura-san replied. "Asuko-san is an android, and a very caring one at that."

Akane shrugged. "We've seen stranger." She turned back to Katsura-san. "I suppose we should warn you about our little Ukyo," she glanced down at where their daughter was staring out at the kids painting. "She, like us, is a martial artist, and when she gets terrified she can get a little dangerous."

"Ah, one of Nerima's famous martial arts families. I fully understand."

"She's also got a spear she can call to her hand," Ranma added, he smiled down at Ukyo, "but we've had lots of discussions about her not using that except when she's in real danger, haven't we kiddo?" Little Ukyo nodded in response.

Katsura-san continued to nod and smile pleasantly. "Of course. I'll have Asuko-san watch over her when she's not busy. That is, if you decide to bring her here."

"It looks fine to me," Akane returned, "what do you think Ranma?"

Ranma grunted. "Yeah, looks tops. There's enough kids for her to make friends." He pulled Chibi-Ukyo from his leg and knelt down next to her. "What do ya say darling? Would you mind coming here while your mummy and I are at school?"

Chibi-Ukyo glanced around and looked at her father. "What if I don't wanna?"

Akane knelt down too, smiling. "It'll give you something to do during the day honey. I know you've been bored when your Auntie and Grandpa have been busy."

The child didn't answer, instead looking around at the room, and the strange faces.

"Maybe if you ask nicely your Auntie will pop in while she's shopping, to make sure you're okay," Ranma suggested. "But you're going to have to be very nice to her."

Chibi-Ukyo looked at her parents, and the almost pleading way they were looking at her. She normally would just do what her parents asked, and wouldn't be afraid of it, but this involved strangers, and no one she knew. Still, if it would help them, she could be brave. Slowly she nodded. "Okay, Mommy, Daddy."

"Then we'll see you bright and early tomorrow morning," Katsura-san announced. "And I'm sure the other children will enjoy having a new playmate."

Ranma and Akane both stood, then reached down to take their Daughter's hands.

"Tomorrow then, Katsura-san." Akane said with a nod. "Good-bye."

"Farewell," the older woman returned.

*****

Despite what everyone thought, Mousse had not spent his entire time in Nerima either working at the Nekohanten (and chasing Shampoo) or fighting with Ranma (and chasing Shampoo). Instead he had contacted an old friend of his family, who had supplied him with a nice little room above their store. It was here that he took Shampoo, still a wreck after her encounter with the monochrome swordsman.

He glanced over at the bed where she slept soundly, exhausted from her emotional roller coaster. She looked so cute and peaceful curled up on her side like that, her hands resting on the pillow in front of her face, and her luxurious purple locks streaming onto the white sheet behind her. One could almost forget that she was the greatest warrior of their tribe.

And, right now, having serious, serious, problems. Mousse didn't know what had happened while he was at the vet's, but he could easily admit she wasn't acting like herself. Before she had collapsed she had ranted for a little while, threatening revenge on unnamed people, and then she had scribbled out a list and told him to get it.

It was that list that frightened him the most. It read like the contents of the Jusenkyo salesman's attache case mixed in with some of the less deadly contents of the mummy's secret supplies. And that was only the stuff he did know. Whoever had angered Shampoo, they were not in for a pleasant time.

Sighing, he stood and grabbed the umbrella from where it leaned. Shampoo would be angry if the list was not at least started on when she woke, and in her current state he didn't want to face an angry Shampoo.

He paused at the door, glancing back at the girl, and wondered, for the first time, if she was worth it.


	11. Chapter 11

Returning Home

Chapter 11

By David Farr

Ranma 1/2 is copyrighted by Rumiko Takahashi/Shogakukan,Inc and is used here respectfully for the purposes of fanfiction. This story may be redistributed only if unchanged and no fee is charged.

*****

"Okay, let's settle down," Nabiki declared, "we have no idea how long they're going to be gone, so we have to hurry this little meeting." She looked around the table at the assembled group.

Most of the original members of the SWC were there, Genma, Soun, Kasumi, holding little Ryoga, and herself, only Chibi-Ukyo was missing, as she was with her parents. Added to the group was Ranma's mother and Blades, who strangely knelt between Kasumi and Nodoka, her head bowed slightly to avoid Nabiki's gaze.

"I'm sorry, Nabiki," Nodoka interjected, "but what meeting?"

Nabiki held up a notebook. "Why, the meeting of the Saotome Wedding Committee! Those loving family members who are trying to arrange a glorious celebration of the renewal of Akane and Ranma's vows so that we who were unable to attend their first wedding don't have to miss out on experiencing the wonderful event."

Nodoka sat there blinking for a few seconds. "So you are planning a wedding for my son and his wife."

"Yes," agreed half the table.

"I see, so what have you decided?"

"That we don't really have enough money for most of our plans," Kasumi offered. "Unfortunately, the dojo just isn't earning as much as it did before Daddy stopped teaching."

"I see, that is a problem." Nodoka stared thoughtfully at the table.

"Ah... no it's not," Blades put in. Everyone turned to look at her. "I've got lots of ways I can solve that little problem."

"Do tell!" Genma exclaimed, popping up beside her.

"Well, I could just do this." She shoved her hand into empty air, and then pulled out a bar of gold. Both Genma and Nabiki practically drooled at the sight. "But then you have the problem of explaining where you got it." The bar vanished back where it came from. "So typically I do a little research, skip back a few years, earn a small amount of cash and invest it."

Everyone at the table paused for a few seconds, thinking about what she had said.

"You're telling me," Nabiki stated, "that you can travel back in time and change history so that you have plenty of money in the present?"

"Yes, that's it."

"Can you go back in time and make me the greatest martial artist in the universe?" Genma inquired.

Blades looked Genma over disdainfully. "Not a chance."

"Could you keep Ranma and Genma from falling into Jusenkyo?" Kasumi inquired. Several people brightened at that prospect.

"No, she couldn't."

"WHAT?" Everyone turned to stare at Nabiki.

"There's a big difference between Blades' little money trick and changing history to remove the curses," the stern faced Tendo sister continued. "The money will not effectively exist for her, or us, until after she has decided to go back in time to create it, since we won't use it before that. On the other hand, the curses DO exist in our own histories. If she went back and changed the past, Ranma and Genma wouldn't have the curses, and she would have no reason to go back to stop then getting them." Nabiki shrugged. "Even if Blades is somehow immune to all of that, our current lives may end up being wildly different to what they are now. We couldn't predict whether the change would be for better, or for worse."

"Exactly!" Blades gushed. "I knew there was more to you than just good looks!" She quieted down. "On top of all that, I'm sworn not to abuse the powers of the swords that way. It goes against everything I stand for."

The others nodded, not happy, but satisfied.

"Well, money is no longer a problem," Nabiki grinned, starting to leaf through her notebook. "So lets discuss more important things... like the guest list."

"Both our families of course," Nodoka put in.

"Already down, although Genma couldn't supply many names from your side," Nabiki paused, "or his either."

"You know, it's a pity we can't invite some of the friends Ranma and Akane made while they were travelling," Kasumi mused.

Everyone stared at Kasumi for a few seconds, then Nabiki swung round to Blades. "Is that possible?"

"Well, yeah, maybe, if I had something they'd carried with them on all their travels, I could use that to backtrack."

"Would that device they used to travel with?" Kasumi inquired.

"Perfect! Even better would be a souvenir from the worlds in question, since that has a really strong connection to its home reality."

"Finding the worlds they visited isn't enough, girls," Soun pointed said, "if you don't know who to ask."

Blades shrugged. "Easy enough, we just ask them."

Nabiki fixed her with a scathing gaze.

"WE'RE HOME!" Akane and Ranma cried from the entrance, and Nabiki's notebook mysteriously vanished.

The pair and their daughter poked their heads in to see their families gathered around the table. "Having a family meeting without us?" Ranma inquired with a raised eyebrow.

"Just setting straight the little misunderstanding you two caused," Nabiki lied cleanly.

"Kasumi, we thought we'd practice in the dojo until dinner, could you warn us in time to have a quick bath?"

"Oh my, yes, of course," Kasumi replied. "In fact I should be cooking now." She looked at the baby in her arms for a moment before Nodoka leapt past Blades to take him.

As they walked out to the dojo, daughter in tow, Ranma looked down at his wife. "Do they really think we don't know what they are planning?"

"They really do." Akane confirmed.

Chibi-Ukyo tugged on her father's trouser leg. "Papa, are we gonna do some more ki training?"

Ranma smiled down at her. "Yeah, I think that's a good idea. You got a really useful little ability there, and we gotta learn to use it, don't we?"

*****

"Order's up, sugar," Ukyo called, flipping an Okonomiyaki across the counter and onto her customer's plate.

The young man nodded his thanks and lifted it to take a bite. "Hmmm, you make the best Okonomiyaki in Nerima, Ucchan."

"Thanks, honey," the chef returned, "but I'm still not going out on a date."

Her suitor looked crestfallen as he picked up his plate and retired to one of the booths. Ukyo had spent the entire afternoon with one eye on that booth, every single one of the boys that had made a pass at her had come from, or headed for, that same booth. She wondered, briefly, how they had managed to fit that many people in it.

Another customer took the recently vacated stool, and Ukyo started to turn, a smile on her face. "Welcome to--" Her smile faded. "Oh, Mousse, hello." She paused staring at him.

Mousse shifted uneasily under her gaze.

"So, Mousse, you heard what happened at school today with Shampoo?"

"Not in so many words," Mousse replied. "Was it bad?"

"Yeah, she attacked Akane, I think she was serious about killing her so that Ranma was "free". Unfortunately for her one of their new friends was about and defeated Shampoo without much effort."

"Ah, that explains that." Mousse shook his head. "Look, I didn't come here to discuss her. I came to warn you, and ask you to pass the warning on."

Ukyo held up a hand as Sayuri came up behind Mousse. "Hang on a minute Mousse honey, while I get this order." The chef turned to the girl. "What can I get you?"

"Ten pork okonomiyaki, please."

Ukyo boggled for a second, then nodded. "Okay sugar, ten pure pig coming up." She whipped out a large bowl and started mixing as she turned her attention back to Mousse. "So, what was the warning?"

"Shampoo and I encountered this strange swordsman." He paused. "No, that's not true. Shampoo was attacked by him, and I think the only reason I rescued her was because he found he didn't want her after all."

"What? Mousse, that doesn't sound like you at all."

The half-blind martial artist shrugged. "Yeah, well, this has really shaken me up. This swordsman was floating in the air and holding Shampoo without touching her. And when I attacked him, Shampoo just flew towards me as if she was thrown." He shook his head. "And then he disappeared in a flash of darkness."

"Get real, Mousse, floating people, vanishing in a flash of darkness? There has to some kind of trick behind it. Even about here that's a little out of the ordinary."

"Ukyo, I don't think this guy was human. His skin was white, and I don't mean western white, it was as white as pure flour."

"Albino?"

Mousse shook his head. "Shampoo mumbled something about scales. Look, whether you believe me or not, spread the word around, and if you see this guy, RUN, because I don't know if any of us can fight this guy and win."

Ukyo nodded. "I think I'm gonna do that, Mousse honey, 'cause your not prone to wild exaggeration of other peoples abilities, your own yes, but not others."

"Good." He stood from the counter. "Could you warn the Tendo and Satomes for me"  
"That's a good idea, since I don't think amazons are the flavour of the month at the dojo."

Mousse looked at the ten okonomiyaki sizzling on the grill. "Although apparently pork is."

Followed his gaze and shrugged. "Yeah, I wonder why."

*****

The door to the dojo rattled slightly as Kasumi slid it open, revealing the room beyond. The walls were a strange mix of colour, golds, pinks and yellows splashed and mixing everywhere. In the middle of the room was the source of the light, the three people she had come to find. They stood facing each other, all three in different stances, but with eyes closed and each glowing a different colour.

Ranma stood, wreathed in a vibrant golden glow, his hands outstretched in a low hold. The rest of his body was in the deceptively casual stance he adopted at the beginning of fights.

In front of him and to his right was Akane, standing with a foot swept back slightly and her arms swept up in a defensive posture before her. An aura of pink surrounded her, not a flaring fire of anger, just a soft, yet strong, glow.

Finally little Ukyo stood to complete the triangle. It was she that was adding the bright yellow to the mix of colours, as she simply stood straight, her spear held in one hand.

For a moment Kasumi thought something had happened to the trio, but then she noticed the slight movements of their chests as they drew in long slow breaths. Next she flicked her gaze to their faces and saw that each wore a look of complete concentration. Knowing they were safe, Kasumi let out the breath she hadn't realised she had been holding.

Ranma's aura guttered out. "Okay, that's enough for tonight. We've all done well."

The other two aura's vanished, plunging the dojo into darkness. Kasumi quickly fumbled for the switch, and moments later a normal source of light lit the dojo. The three turned calmly to look at her.

"What's up Kasumi?" Akane asked.

"It's dinner time," Kasumi replied.

"YAY!" Chibi-Ukyo cried, dashing past Kasumi fast enough to catch her hair and dress in the tail wind.

Ranma looked at Akane. "Remind me, Ukyo needs no extra power, especially not from THAT emotion."

*****

"Shampoo, I'm back," Mousse called as he closed the door.

"About time!" Shampoo exclaimed from the bedroom. "Where stupid Mousse been?"

Mousse threw his bag onto the table, and turned to look at the kitchen. A dirty bowl, pot and a few utensils in the sink told him that at some time Shampoo had sought dinner. It also said that she still viewed him as nothing more than errand boy.

"What Mousse think?" Shampoo said from the doorway. Mousse turned to see what she meant, and his jaw hit the ground.

The Shampoo standing in the doorway had discarded the cute innocence of childhood for the slinky sexuality of a dangerous predator. Instead of her usual, suggestive but covering outfits, she wore a dark silk one piece that hung off her body, leaving her arms bare. It even had a split from the hips down to show off her legs. Her long bangs too were missing, swept back over her ears to join the rest of her hair following down her back. Perhaps it was just the light, but it even looked like the hair was darker than before. Finally Shampoo's face seemed tighter, her lips pursed together and cold, sharp eyes glaring at him.

"So what you think, Mousse?" Shampoo demanded again.

"Ah... it's different," he offered, not knowing what else to say.

Shampoo snorted in contempt. "Of course it different. That the idea." She sashayed across the room and snatched the bag from the table. "You manage to get list?" She started looking through the contents of the bag.

"No, not everything. The Jusenkyo salesman isn't in town at the moment, so I can't buy any of the exotic stuff, but I found his number and called in an order." He turned and walked towards the sink. "And I didn't have enough time this evening to hunt down everything else."

Shampoo looked thoughtfully at one of the bottles she had pulled from the bag. Its contents caught the light and sent it glittering across the amazon's face. "Tell me, Mousse, how you pay for all this?"

Mousse didn't look up from the sink as it slowly filled with water. "Actually Shampoo, I was going to ask you the same thing. That little lot used up the last of the money I saved from working at the Nekohanten."

Shampoo's head snapped around and she glared at Mousse. "You got paid?"

"Ah... Shampoo, in this country it's illegal to employ someone and not pay them. You and grandmother were stretching the laws enough without your father having to worry about some busy body running you out of business with a court case over paying me." Mousse squirted some dish soap into the sink and started cleaning the dishes.

"Well, at least it not much." She pouted. "Grandmother look after all of Shampoo's money, so that no help. Where we get more money?"

"We could knock over a bank."

"Not funny," Shampoo returned darkly.

"It's a pity you're not good friends with that Kodachi girl. Not only is she rich, but from what I hear, she probably has better access to the things you want."

Shampoo fell silent, leaving only the soft clinking of the dishes as the only sound in the apartment. "Sometimes, Mousse, you not so stupid," she said finally.

'Oh, shit,' Mousse thought.


End file.
